LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ADAVALLI-3 (4D4A2O3c) MICROWATERSHED Koppal Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Adavalli-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 boundaries. The soil map shows the geographic distribution and extent, characteristics, classification, behavior and use potentials of the soils in the microwatershed. The present study covers an area of 283 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 water bodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 7 soil series and 12 soil phases (management units) and 2 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 <1 per cent of the soils are shallow (25-50 cm), 24 per cent has moderately deep (75-100 cm), 65 per cent has deep (100-150 cm) and about 7 per cent are very deep soils (>150 cm) soils.  Entire area has clayey soils at the surface.  About 61 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 35 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and <1 per cent very gravelly (35-60% gravel) soils.  About <1 per cent low (51-100 mm/m), 24 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and 72 per cent area has very high (>200 mm/m) available water capacity.  Entire area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  About 1 per cent area is slightly eroded (e1) and 96 per cent area moderately eroded (e2) lands.  An area of about 28 per cent has soils that are strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to 9.0) and 69 per cent has very strongly alkaline (pH>9.0).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils is <2 dS m-1and such as the soils are non-saline.  Organic carbon content is low (<0.5%) in about 63 per cent, 29 per cent of the soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) and 5 per cent of the soils are high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Available phosphorus is low (<23 kg/ha) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Available potassium is high (>337 kg/ha) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in 10 per cent area, medium (10-20 ppm) in about 50 per cent area and about 37 per cent area is high (>10 ppm).  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 83 per cent area, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 7 per cent area and high (>1.0 ppm) in about 7 percent soils.  Available iron is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in the entire area.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in the entire area.  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 110 (39) 163(58) Sapota - - Maize - - Jackfruit - - Bajra - - Jamun - 205 (72) Groundnut - - Musambi 78 (27) 196 (69) Sunflower 78 (27) 196 (69) Lime 78 (27) 196 (69) Chilli - - Cashew - - Tomato - - Custard apple 110 (39) 163 (58) Drumstick - 274 (97) Amla - 274 (97) Mulberry - 274 (97) Tamarind - 205 (72) Pomegranate - 274 (97) Marigold - 274 (97) Guava - - Chrysanthemum - 274 (97) Mango - 9 (3) Jasmine - - Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 2 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 in turn 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 Adavalli-3 micro-watershed (Koppal taluk and district) is located in between 15019’ – 15020’ North latitudes and 75057’ – 75059’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 283.26 ha, bounded by Kavalura village with length of growing period (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. Results: The socio-economic outputs for the Adavalli-3 micro-watershed (Koppal taluk and district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 53.3 to 46.7 per cent to the total sample population. Majority of male population in medium farmers (58.3%) and female population (57.1%) in semi- medium farmers.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 48.4 per cent to the total sample population. About 56.2 per cent of younger comes under small farmer of size group.  Literacy population is around 75.0 per cent of sample households. The highest in semi medium farmers (85.7%) of size groups.  Social groups belong to scheduled caste (SC) is around 21.4 per cent. Around 66.7 per cent of scheduled caste in semi medium farmers.  Firewood is the main source of energy for cooking among all the sample farm households.  About 85.7 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Among all farm households are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system was among all the households.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 85.7 per cent.  Around 10 per cent of households co-operated to in institutional participation among them majority of participating households are medium farmers.  Rural migration to urban centre for employment is prevalent among 21.4 per cent of sample households. 2  Women participation in decisions making are around 30 per cent of sample households. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 2.0 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers. The dry land account for 92.7 % and fallow land is 7.3 % of total cultivated land of the sample farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation is around 22.4 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation is around 53.1 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 60907 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 319369 per household, about 50.0 per cent of sample farmers are having sprayer.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 16000 per household; about 44.4 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 1896 kilo calories against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 2250 kilo calories. Around 78.4 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs. 27131 per household: All sample farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs.1019. 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 average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 7580/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in coriander (Rs. 39253) followed by greengram (Rs. 6422), cotton (Rs. 3948), sunflower (Rs. 3661), bengalgram (Rs. 1786), sorghum (Rs. 1425) and bajra is negative returns.  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 2632/ ha/year. Per hectare fodder production services is maximum in bajra (Rs.3146) followed by sorghum (Rs. 2118).  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. 70397) followed by coriander (Rs. 62459), bengal gram (Rs. 52331), cotton (Rs. 49758), bajra (Rs. 42251), sorghum (Rs. 32723) and sunflower (Rs. 19954). 3 Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is bengal gram (35.5 %) followed by coriander (22.8 %) sorghum (21.8 %), sunflower (7.5 %), green gram (4.7 %), bajra (4.7 %) and cotton (3.0 %).  Adavalli-3 Micro-watershed, major soils are soil Dambarahalli (DLR) series is having moderately deep soil depth cover around 12.81 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing cotton (28.6 %) and sorghum (71.4%). Gatareddihal (GRH) and Handrala (HDL) soil series are also having deep soil depth cover around 41.87 per cent and 20.35 per cent of areas, respectively; crops are bengalgram, sorghum, sunflower, bajra and green gram.  The data on cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for sorghum range between Rs. 21575/ha in GRH soil (with BCR of 1.22) and Rs. 13711/ha in DRL soil (with BCR of 0.98).  In cotton the cost of cultivation is Rs.17047/ha in DRL soil (with BCR of 1.23).  In bengal gram the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 30121/ha in HDL soil (with BCR of 1.09) and Rs. 25213/ha in GRH soil (with BCR of 1.07).  In sunflower the cost of cultivation is Rs. 14716 /ha in GRH soil (with BCR of 1.25) bajra cultivation is Rs. 17591/ha in HDL soil (with BCR of 0.98).  In coriander the cost of cultivation in Rs. 14775/ha in HDL soil (with BCR of 1.36).  The land management practices reported by the farmers are crop rotation, tillage practices, fertilizer application and use of farm yard manure (FYM). Due to higher wages farmer are following labour saving strategies is not prating soil and water conservation measures. Less ownership of livestock limiting application of FYM.  It was observed soil quality influences on the type and intensity of land use. More fertilizer applications in deeper soils to maximize returns. 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. 4  By adopting recommended package of practices by following the soil test fertiliser recommendation, there is scope to increase yield in bajra (25.3 %), bengal gram (23.6 %), coriander (89.3 %), green gram (65.1 %), sorghum (62.7 to 36.6 %) and sunflower (46.7 %).