LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUDIGERI-3 (4D4A2N2c) MICRO WATERSHED Alavandi Hobli, Koppal Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Gudigeri-3 microwatershed was conducted using village cadastral maps and IRS satellite imagery on 1:7920 scale. The false colour composites of IRS imagery were interpreted for physiography and these physiographic delineations were used as base for mapping soils. The soils were studied in several transects and a soil map was prepared with phases of soil series as mapping units. Random checks were made all over the area outside the transects to confirm and validate the soil map unit boundries. The soil map shows the geographic distribution and extent, characterstics, classification, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 378 ha in Koppal taluk and district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought - prone with an average annual rainfall of 662 mm, of which about 424 mm is received during south –west monsoon, 161 mm during north-east and the remaining 77 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 97 per cent is covered by soils, three per cent by waterbodies. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 9 soil series and 18 soil phases (management units) and 7 land use classes.  The length of crop growing period is <90 days and starts from 2nd week of August to 2nd week of November.  From the master soil map, several interpretative and thematic maps like land capability, soil depth, surface soil texture, soil gravelliness, available water capacity, soil slope and soil erosion were generated.  Soil fertility status maps for macro and micronutrients were generated based on the surface soil samples collected at every 250 m grid interval.  Land suitability for growing 24 major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  Entire area is suitable for agriculture.  About 25 per cent of the soils are shallow to moderately shallow (25-75 cm) and 72 per cent area are moderately deep to very deep soils (75->150 cm).  Entire area has clayey soils at the surface.  About 33 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 47 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 17 per cent very gravelly (35- 60% gravel) soils.  About 25 per cent area has low (51-100 mm/m), 16 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and 56 per cent area very high (>200mm/m) available water capacity.  Entire area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  About 9 per cent area is slightly eroded and about 88 per cent area is moderately eroded (e2) lands.  Entire area is strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to 9.0) to very strongly alkaline (pH>9.0) in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  Organic carbon is low (<0.5%) in about 79 per cent, 15 per cent of the soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) and 3 per cent of the soils are high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Available phosphorus is low (<23 kg/ha) in major area of about 93 per cent, medium (23-57 kg/ha) in 3 per cent area and high (>57 kg/ha) in <1 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Major area of about 94 per cent has high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium and a small area of about 2 per cent has medium (145-337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in 28 per cent area, medium (10-20 ppm) in about 1 per cent area and about 68 per cent area is high (>20 ppm).  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 65 per cent area and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 32 per cent area.  Available iron is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in about 90 per cent area and deficient (<4.5 ppm) in about 7 per cent area.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in major area of about 96 per cent and sufficient in very minor area of <1 per cent.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  The land suitability for 24 major crops grown in the microwatershed were assessed and the areas that are highly suitable (S1) and moderately suitable (S2) are given below. It is however to be noted that a given soil may be suitable for various crops but what specific crop to be grown may be decided by the farmer looking to his capacity to invest on various inputs, marketing infrastructure, market price and finally the demand and supply position. Land suitability for various crops in the microwatershed Crop Suitability Area in ha (%) Crop Suitability Area in ha (%) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Sorghum 45 (12) 267 (71) Guava - - Maize - - Jackfruit - - Bajra - - Jamun - 210 (56) Groundnut - 36 (9) Musambi 35 (9) 237 (63) Sunflower 35 (9) 237 (62) Lime 35 (9) 237 (63) Chilli - - Cashew - - Tomato - - Custard apple 45(12) 267 (71) Drumstick - 272 (72) Amla - 312 (82) Mulberry - 312 (82) Tamarind - 210 (56) Mango - 81 (21) Marigold - 312 (82) Sapota - - Chrysanthemum - 312 (82) Pomegranate - 272 (72) Jasmine - 40 (11) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 7 identified LUCs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fodder, fibre and other horticulture crops.  Maintaining soil-health is vital to crop production and conserve soil and land resource base for maintaining ecological balance and to mitigate climate change. For this, several ameliorative measures have been suggested to these problematic soils like saline/alkali, highly eroded, sandy soils etc.,  Soil and water conservation treatment plan has been prepared that would help in identifying the sites to be treated and also the type of structures required.  As part of the greening programme, several tree species have been suggested to be planted in marginal and submarginal lands, field bunds and also in the hillocks, mounds and ridges. That would help in supplementing the farm income, provide fodder and fuel, and generate lot of biomass which inturn would help in maintaining the ecological balance and contributes to mitigating the climate change. Baseline socioeconomic characterisation is prerequisite to prepare action plan for program implementation and to assess the project performance before making any changes in the watershed development program. The baseline provides appropriate policy direction for enhancing productivity and sustainability in agriculture. Methodology: The Gudigeri-3 micro-watershed is located in between 15018’ – 15020’ North latitudes and 75054’ – 75056’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 378.15 and bounded by Kavalura and Gudigeri villages in Koppal taluk and district. It falls under Agro Ecological Region (AER)–3: (Deccan plateau, hot arid ecosubregion) Karnataka Plateau (Rayalseema as inclusion), hot arid ESR with deep loamy and clayey mixed red and black soils, low to medium AWC and LGP 60-90 days We used soil resource map as basis for sampling farm households to test the hypothesis that soil quality influence crop selection, and conservation investment of farm households. The level of technology adoption and productivity gaps and livelihood patterns were analyses. The cost of soil degradation and ecosystem services were quantified for each watershed. Results: We found that Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 65 to 35 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age groups of population is around 55 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 70 per cent.  Wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 80 per cent.  Majority of farm households (100 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employments.  Dependence on ration cards through public distribution system is around 80 per cent  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 80 per cent of sample households.  Institutional participation is only 10 per cent of sample households.  Women participation is decision making is 20 % of sample households. Economic Indicators  The average land holding is 3.06 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation only among 31 per cent and agricultural labours is predominant subsidiary occupation for 59 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs 15911 per household. Mobile and television are mass popular mass communication media. 2  The average farm assets values is around 1.6 lakhs, about 40 per cent of sample farmers are owing tractors.  The average livestock value is around Rs 12695 per livestock, around 60 per cent of households having live stocks.  The average milk produced is 245 litters per animal per year and about 1417 kg of average fodder is available per season for the livestock feeding.  The average per capita food consumption is around 736 grams (1701 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition recommendation at 827 gram. Around 75 per cent of sample farmers are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs 9353 per household. About 100 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly expenditure is around Rs 823 per household. Environmental Indicators-Ecosystem services;  The value of ecosystem service helps to support investment to decision on soil and water conservation and in promoting sustainable land use.  The onsite cost of different soil nutrients lost due to soil erosion is around Rs 14565 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs 5303798 per year for the total area of 378.15 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food production is around Rs 1602/ ha/year. Per ha food production services is maximum in sunflower (Rs 3055 /ha) followed by red gram (Rs 3926/ha), green gram (Rs 2115), ground nut (Rs 823), bengal gram (Rs 275).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs 1405/ ha/year. Per ha fodder production services is maximum in maize (Rs 3705 /ha) followed by sorghum (Rs 1482 /ha), bajra (Rs 889 /ha) and groundnut (Rs 659/ha).  The data on water requirement for producing one quintal of grain is considered for estimating the total value of water required for crop production. The per hectare value of water used and value of water was maximum in green gram (Rs 34116) followed by bengal gram (Rs 29851), bajra (Rs 25705), red gram (Rs 21515), maize (Rs 15092), sorghum (Rs 15057) and ground nut (Rs 11453). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is bajra (27%) followed by green gram (19 %), sorghum (15 %), red gram (15 %), bengal gram (12%, groundnut (9 %)) and maize (3 %).  In Gudigeri-3 micro watershed, major soils are Muttal (MTL) series are having shallow soil deep covers around 14 per cent of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing bajra (50 %), green gram (22 %) and red gram (28 %). Ravanki (RNK) soil series are having moderately shallow soil depth cover around 11 per cent of area; major crops grown are bengal gram (56 %) and sorghum (44 %). Gatarediahal (GRH) soil series are having deep soil depth covers around 18 % of area, the major crop grown is bengal gram and Murlapur (MLR) soil series are very deep soil deep cover 3 around 7 % of area, the crops grown are green gram (43 %), groundnut (43 %) and maize (14 %).  The total cost of cultivation in the study area for green gram ranges between Rs.14919/ha in MTL soil (with BCR of 1.36) and Rs.13215/ha in MTL soil (with BCR of 1.16).  In bengal gram the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 30525/ha in GRH soil (with BCR is 1.08) and Rs.15329/ha in RNK soil (with BCR of 1.18).  In maize the cost of cultivation in MTL soil is Rs.10439/ha (with BCR of 1.07).  In red gram the cost of cultivation in MTL soil is Rs.11354/ha (with BCR of 1.39).  In sorghum cost of cultivation in RNK soil is Rs.10624/ha (with BCR of 1.07) and ground nut cost of cultivation in MLR soil is Rs.19760/ha (with BCR of 1.07). Suggestions;  Involving farmers is watershed planning helps in strengthing institutional participation.  The per capita food consumption and monthly income is very low. Diversifying income generation activities from crop and livestock production in order to reduce risk related to drought and market prices.  Majority of farmers reported that they are not getting timely support/extension services from the concerned development departments.  By strengthing agricultural extension for providing timely advice improved technology there is scope to increase in net income of farm households.  By adopting recommended package of practices by following the soil test fertiliser recommendation, there is scope to increase yield in bajra (13.3 %), bengal gram (9.0 %), green gram (6.3 %), groundnut (9.0 %), maize (57.5 %), red gram (13.8 %) and sorghum (18.8 %).