LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GOVANKOP-1 (4D4A3J2e) MICRO WATERSHED Shirahatti Taluk, Gadag District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Govankop-1 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 the 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 and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 600 ha in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought- prone with an average annual rainfall of 633 mm of which about 363 mm is received during south –west monsoon, 165 mm during north-east and the remaining 105 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 96 per cent is covered by soils, four per cent by waterbodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 11 soil series and 32 soil phases (management units) and 7 land management units.  The length of crop growing period is about 150 days starting from the 3rd 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 major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  About 96 per cent area is suitable for agriculture.  About 9 per cent of the soils are deep (100 - 150 cm) to moderately deep (75-100 cm), 59 per cent are moderately shallow to shallow (25-75 cm) and about 28 per cent are very shallow (<25 cm) soils.  About 73 per cent of the area has clayey soils at the surface and 23 per cent loamy soils.  About 7 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 25 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 64 per cent very gravelly (35- 60% gravel) and extremely gravelly (60-80%) soils.  About 25 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and 71 per cent low (51-100 mm/m) and very low (<50mm/m) in available water capacity.  About 87 per cent of the area has nearly level (0-1%) to very gently sloping (1-3% slope) lands and 9 per cent is under gently sloping (3-5%) lands.  An area of about 25 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 65 per cent moderately eroded (e2) and 6 per cent soils are severely eroded (e3).  An area of about 5 per cent has soils that are moderately alkaline (pH 7.8 to 8.4) 91 per cent strongly to very strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to >9.0).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 92 per cent of the soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) in organic carbon and 3 per cent high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Entire area in the microwatershed is low (<23 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About 80 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 15 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in about 65 per cent area, medium (10-20 ppm) in about 27 per cent area and about 4 per cent area is high (>20 ppm).  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 52 per cent area, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 21 per cent area and high (>1.0 ppm) in 23 per cent area.  Available iron is deficient in about 15 per cent area and sufficient in 81 per cent area.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  Available zinc is sufficient (>0.6 ppm) in 4 per cent and deficient (<0.6 ppm) in 92 per cent area of the Microwatershed.  The land suitability for 21 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, 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 - 191 (32) Jackfruit - 16 (3) Maize - 72 (12) Jamun - - Bengalgram - 146 (24) Musambi - 52 (9) Groundnut - 72 (12) Lime - 16 (3) Sunflower - 52 (9) Cashew - 16 (3) Cotton - 138 (23) Custard Apple - 108 (18) Banana - 52 (9) Amla - 108 (18) Pomegranate - 52 (9) Tamarind - 16 (3) Mango - 16 (3) Marigold - 138 (23) Sapota - 16(3) Chrysanthemum - 138 (23) Guava - 16 (3) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 7 identified LMUs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fibre and 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 and also in the hillocks, mounds and ridges. SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS 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: Govankop-1 micro-watershed (Kanakvad sub-watershed, Shirahatti taluk, Gadag district) is located in between 1500’ – 1501’ North latitudes and 75038’ – 75041’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 600 ha, bounded by Kerikoppa, Belhatti, Kanakvad and Kerikoppa villages with length of growing period (LGP) 150-180 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 Govankop-1 micro-watershed (Kanakvad sub-watershed, Shirahatti taluk, Gadag district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 52.3 to 47.7 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 67.8 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 80 per cent.  Social groups belong to other backward caste (SC) is around 80 per cent.  Fire wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 80 per cent.  About 70 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Majority of farm households (50 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 70 per cent of sample households.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 80 per cent of sample households.  Institutional participation is only 1.5 per cent of sample households.  Women participation in decisions making is among all the households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.02 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to small and medium farmers. The dry land of 80.6 % and irrigated land 19.4 % of total cultivated land area among the sample farmers. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation among 90.8 per cent and agriculture is the main and government services are a subsidiary occupation for 1.5 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 97362 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average farm assets value is around Rs. 142619 per household, about 30 per cent of sample farmers having plough and sprayer.  The average livestock value is around Rs. 29731 per household; about 71.43 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 1014 grams (2227.5 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Among all sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.16631 per household. About 100 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly average expenditure is around Rs.1929. 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. 1044 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 600606 per year for the total area of 600.4 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 3187/ha/year in maize crops.  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 2805/ ha/year.  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 maize (Rs. 27159). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is maize (100 %).  In Govinkoppa-1 micro-watershed, major soil is Hanganakatti (HGK) and Shirol (SRL) soil series is having very shallow soil depth cover around 10.40 per cent and 17.43 per cent of areas, respectively. On this soil farmers are presently growing maize. Yelisirunj (YSJ) and Beladadi (BLD) soil series are having shallow soil depth cover around 6.38 per cent and 8.85 per cent of area, respectively the crop is maize. Kabulayathakatti Tanda (KKT), Attikatti Tanda (ATT) and Venkatapur (VKP) soil series are having moderately shallow soil 3 depth covers around 12.24 per cent, 5.0 per cent and 13.89 per cent of areas, respectively on crop is maize. Jelligeri (JLG) soil is having moderately deep soil depth cover around 6.0 per cent of area the crop on maize.  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for maize ranges between Rs.48232/ha in BLD soil (with BCR of 1.34) and Rs.12643/ha in YSJ soil (with BCR of 1.80).  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 maize (63.1 to 79.8 %).