LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CHIK HANGARGI-4 (4D5A3Q2e) MICROWATERSHED Jewargi Taluk, Gulbarga District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Chik Hangargi-4 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, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 638 ha in Chik Hangargi-4 microwatershed in Jewargi taluk of Gulbarga district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought-prone with an average annual rainfall of 751 mm, of which about 538 mm is received during south–west monsoon, 138 mm during north-east and the remaining 75 mm during the rest of the year. 95 per cent area is covered by soils and 5 per cent is by habitation and waterbodies. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 6 soil series and 17 soil phases (management units) and 5 land use classes.  The length of crop growing period is about 150 days starting from the 1st week of June to 1st week of October.  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 19 major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with the constraints were generated.  Entire area is suitable for agriculture and 5 per cent is not suitable.  About 30 per cent of the soils are very deep (>150 cm) and 10 per cent is deep (100- 150 cm), 9 per cent is moderately deep (75-100 cm), 14 per cent is shallow (25-50 cm) and 32 per cent are very shallow (<25cm) soils.  About 70 per cent area is clayey and 24 per cent is sandy clay loam at the surface.  About 54 per cent of the area has non-gravelly (<15%) and 41 per cent are gravelly (15-35%) soils.  About 40 per cent of the area has soils that are very high (>200mm/m) and 9 per cent is medium (101-150 mm/m) in available water capacity. About 14 per cent low (50- 100 mm/m) and very low (<50 mm/m) in 32 per cent area.  Major area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands and 2 per cent gently sloping (3- 5%)lands.  An area of about 23 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 47 per cent moderately eroded (e2) and 25 per cent severely eroded (e3) soils.  An area of about 2 per cent moderately alkaline (pH 7.8-8.4), 47 per cent has soils that are strongly alkaline soils (pH 8.4-9.0) and 46 per cent very strongly alkaline (>9.0).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dS m-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 436 ha (68%) area is low (<0.5%) in organic carbon and medium (0.5-0.75%) in about 168 ha (26%) in organic carbon.  Major area of 77 per cent has soils that are low (<23 kg/ha) and 18 per percent are medium (23-57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About 62 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) and 33 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is medium (10-20 ppm) in 74 per cent, 16 per cent high (>20 ppm) and 5 per cent low (<10).  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 35 per cent area and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in about 59 per cent area.  About 90 per cent area is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) and 5 per cent deficient (<4.5ppm) in available iron.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  Entire area that is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in available zinc.  The land suitability for 19 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 (%) Highlysuitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Highly suitable (S1) Moderately suitable (S2) Sorghum 311 (49) - Guava - 192 (30) Maize - - Jackfruit - - Red gram - 311 (49) Jamun - 256 (40) Soybean 311 (49) - Musambi 256 (40) 56 (9) Bengalgram 311 (49) 87 (13) Lime 256 (40) 56 (9) Sunflower 248 (39) 63 (10) Cashew - - Cotton 256 (40) 56 (9) Custard apple 311 (49) - Sugarcane - - Amla 311 (49) - Mango - - Tamarind 255 (40) - Sapota - 192 (30)  Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 5 identified LUCs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fodder, fibre and horticulture crops that helps in maintaining the productivity and ecological balance in the microwatershed.  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. This would help in maintaining ecological balance and contribute 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: Chik Hangargi-4 Microwatershed (Chik Hangargi sub-watershed, Jewargi taluk, Gulbarga district) is located in between 16047’ – 16050’ North latitudes and 76031’ – 76033’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 638.66 ha, bounded by Sumbada and Dummadri villages with length of growing period (LGP) 120-150 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 Chik Hangargi 4 micro-watershed (Chik Hangargi sub-watershed, Jewargi taluk, Gulbarga district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 67.5 to 32.5 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 65 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 80 per cent.  Social groups belong to general caste among the all farm households.  Fire wood is the source of energy for a cooking is around 60 per cent.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 60 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 20 per cent of sample households.  Women participation in decisions making in agricultural production in the all sample households found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.74 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to small and medium farmers. The total cultivated land of dry land condition among the sample farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 22.5 per cent and agriculture as a main and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 75.0 per cent of sample households. 2  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs.19280 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs.5108 per household, about 30.0 per cent of sample farmers having plough and sprayer.  The average value of livestock is around Rs.39750 per livestock; about 66.7 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 913.8 grams (2236.3 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Around 20 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs. 35800 per household. About 90 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs.746. 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. 945 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 570972 per year for the total area of 638.66 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grains production is around Rs. 16012/ ha/year. Per hectare food grains production services is maximum in red gram (Rs. 16294) and cotton (Rs. 15729).  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 red gram (Rs. 58479) and cotton (Rs. 41672). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern was red gram (57.4 %) and cotton (42.6 %).  In Chik hangargi 4 Microwatershed, major soil is soil of Marguti (MGT) series is having very shallow soil depth cover around 32.23 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing cotton (30.3 %) and red gram (69.7 %), Mannur (MAR ) soil series having very deep soil depth cover around 30.13 % of area, the crops grown are cotton (19.8 %) and redgram (80.2 %). Dimal (DIM) soil series having deep soil depth cover around 9.89 % of areas, crops grown is red gram (50.0 %) and Novinihala (NHA) soil series having shallow soil depth cover around (6.73 %) of area, crops grown is cotton. 3  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for cotton ranges between Rs. 21176/ha in MAR soil (with BCR of 1.97) and Rs.25630/ha in MGT soil (with BCR of 1.69).  In red gram the cost of cultivation ranges between Rs 19350/ha in MAR soil (with BCR of 1.83) and Rs.23475/ha in MGT soil (with BCR of 1.81).  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 soil 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.  By adopting recommended package of practices by following the soil test fertiliser recommendation, there is scope to increase yield in Redgram (1.1 to 23.6%) and cotton (27.7 to 45.8 %).