LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MUNDAL-2 (4D5B1I2e) MICROWATERSHED Yadgir Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Mundal-2 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, behavior and use potentials of the soils in the microwatershed. The present study covers an area of 633 ha in Yadgir taluk & district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought-prone with an average annual rainfall of 866 mm, of which about 652 mm is received during south-west monsoon, 138 mm during north-east and the remaining 76 mm during the rest of the year. An area of 586 ha in the microwatershed is covered by soils, 5 ha by railway line, 5 ha by rock outcrops and 37 ha by others (habitation and water body). The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 11 soil series and 12 soil phases (management units) and 6 land management units.  The length of crop growing period is about 120-150 days starting from 1st week of June to 4th 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 320 m grid interval.  Land suitability for growing 29 major agricultural and horticultural crops was assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  About 93 per cent area in the microwatershed is suitable for agriculture.  About 10 per cent area are very shallow to shallow (<25-50), 2 per cent are moderately shallow (50-75 cm), 16 per cent area of the microwatershed has soils that are moderately deep (75-100 cm) and 64 per cent area are deep to very deep (100 to >150 cm).  About 4 per cent area in the microwatershed has sandy, 25 per cent area in loamy and 64 per cent clayey soils at the surface.  Maximum of 82 per cent area in the microwatershed is non gravelly (<15%) and 10 per cent is gravelly (15-35%).  About 64 per cent area of the microwatershed is very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity, 3 per cent area medium (101-150 mm/m), 15 per cent area low (51- 100 mm/m) and 11 per cent area very low (<50 mm/m) in available water capacity.  An area of about 41 per cent has lands that are nearly level (0-1% slope) and 52 per cent has very gently sloping (1-3% slope) lands in the microwatershed.  An area of 44 per cent has lands slightly eroded (e1) and 49 per cent moderately (e2) eroded lands in the microwatershed.  An area of about 24 per cent soils are neutral (pH 6.5-7.3) in soil reaction, about 24 per cent soil are slightly alkaline (pH 7.3-7.8), about 31 per cent soil are moderately alkaline (pH 7.8-8.4), 14 per cent soil are strongly alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0) and <1 per cent soils are very strongly alkaline (pH >9.0) soils.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of entire soils of the microwatershed is dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 10 per cent of the soils are high (>0.75), 82 per cent are medium (0.5-0.75%) and less than 1 per cent low (<0.5%) in organic carbon.  Available phosphorus is medium (23-57 kg/ha) in an area of 66 per cent and high (>57 kg/ha) in 27 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available potassium is medium (145-337 kg/ha) in 75 per cent and high (>337 kg/ha) 18 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in an area of about 20 per cent, medium (10 -20 ppm) in 31 per cent and high (>20 ppm) in 42 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 58 per cent, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 20 per cent and high (>1.0 ppm) in 15 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available iron is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils of the microwatershed.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in an area of 56 per cent and sufficient (>0.6 ppm) in 37 per cent area of the microwatershed.  The land suitability for 29 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 180(28) 302(48) Guava - 102(16) Maize 102(16) 380(60) Sapota - 102(16) Bajra 102(16) 380(60) Pomegranate - 180(28) Groundnut <1(<1) 114(18) Musambi 78(12) 102(16) Sunflower 78(12) 106(16) Lime 78(12) 102(16) Redgram - 470(74) Amla 102(16) 90(14) Bengal gram 78(12) 110(17) Cashew - 81(13) Cotton 78(12) 102(16) Jackfruit - 102(16) Chilli 102(16) 90(14) Jamun - 78(12) Tomato 102(16) 12(2) Custard apple 160(25) 33(5) Brinjal 102(16) 12(2) Tamarind - 78(12) Onion 102(16) 12(2) Mulberry - 102(16) Bhendi 102(16) 90(14) Marigold 102(16) 90(14) Drumstick - 180(28) Chrysanthemum 102(16) 90(14) Mango - -  Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the identified LMUs 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 for 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 for 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. This would help in not only supplementing the farm income but also provide fodder and fuel and generate lot of biomass which would help in maintaining an ecological balance and also contribute to mitigating the climate change. FINDINGS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY  The survey was conducted in Mundal-2 is located at North latitude 160 47' 38.47” and 160 45’ 0.508” and East longitude 770 7’ 50.52'' and 770 5’ 59.846” covering an area of about 632.43 ha coming under Mudhanala, Bheemanagara and Yadhagiri B Villages of Yadagiri taluk.  Socio-economic analysis of Mundal-2 micro watersheds of Yadgir sub-watershed, Yadgiri taluk & District indicated that, out of the total sample of 34 total respondents, 12 (35.29 %) were marginal, 9 (26.47%)were small, 6 (17.65 %) were Semi medium and 1 (2.94 %) were medium farmers.  The population characteristics of households indicated that, there were 107 (55.15%) men and 87 (44.85 %) were women.  Majority of the respondents (35.57%) were in the age group of 16-35 years.  Education level of the sample households indicated that, there were 55.15 per cent illiterates, 11.86 per cent of them had primary school education, 12.89 per cent middle school education, and 10.31 per cent high school education, 3.61 per cent of them had PUC education, 0.52 per cent of them had Diploma, 3.09 per cent attained graduation.  About, 8.82 per cent of household heads practicing agriculture and 73.53 per cent of the household heads were engaged as agricultural labourers.  Agriculture was the major occupation for 3.61 per cent of the household members.  In the study area, 58.82 per cent of the households possess katcha house and 26.47 per cent possess pucca house.  The durable assets owned by the households showed that, 73.53 per cent possess TV, 58.82 per cent possess mixer grinder, 91.18 per cent possess mobile phones and 50.00 per cent possess motor cycles.  Farm implements owned by the households indicated that, 20.59 per cent of the households possess plough, 5.88 per cent possess tractor, 11.76 per cent possess bullock cart and 5.88 per cent possess sprayer.  Regarding livestock possession by the households, 5.88 per cent possess local cow and 8.82 per cent possess buffalo.  The average labour availability in the study area showed that, own men and women labour availability in the micro watershed was 6.38 each, while the hired labour (men) availability was1.61.  Further, 29.41 per cent of the households opined that hired labour was inadequate during the agricultural season.  Out of the total land holding of the sample respondents 61.47 per cent (32.68 ha) of the area is under dry condition and the remaining 34.82 per cent area is irrigated land. 2  There were 7.00 live bore wells and 8.00 dry bore wells among the sampled households.  Bore/open well was the major source of irrigation for 20.59 per cent of the households.  The major crops grown by sample farmers are Maize, Redgram, Cotton, Groundut, Green gram and Paddy and cropping intensity was recorded as 99.94 per cent.  Out of the sample households 79.41 percent possessed bank account and 17.65 per cent of them have savings in the account.  About 17.65 per cent of the respondents borrowed credit from various sources.  Among the credit borrowed by households, 90.91 per cent have borrowed loan from commercial banks and 18.18 per cent from co-operative/Grameena bank.  Majority of the respondents (100.00%) have borrowed loan for agriculture purpose.  Regarding the opinion on institutional sources of credit, 50.00 per cent of the households opined that credit helped to perform timely agricultural operations, while, only 50.00 per cent respondents opined that loan amount was adequate to fulfil their requirement.  The per hectare cost of cultivation for Maize, Redgram, Cotton, Groundut, green gram and Paddy was Rs.57461.85, 29614.81, 30531.65, 46693.23, 35397.22 and 30444.71 with benefit cost ratio of 1:0.70, 1: 1.90, 1: 1.60, 1: 1.50, 1:1.6 and 1:1.30 respectively.  Further, 29.41 per cent of the households opined that dry fodder was adequate and 2.94 per cent of the households have opined that the green fodder was adequate.  The average annual gross income of the farmers was Rs. 80176.47 in microwatershed, of which Rs. 45411.76 comes from agriculture.  Sampled households have grown 4 horticulture trees and 77 forestry trees together in the fields and back yards.  Households have an average investment capacity of Rs. 5464.71 for land development and Rs. 3735.29 for irrigation facility.  Source of funds for additional investment is concerned, 29.41 per cent depends on own funds and 23.53 per cent depends on bank loan for land development activities.  Regarding marketing channels, 76.47 per cent of the households have sold agricultural produce to the local/village merchants, while, 2.94 per cent have sold in regulated markets.  Further, 76.47 per cent of the households have used tractor for the transport of agriculture commodity.  Majority of the farmers (67.65%) have experienced soil and water erosion problems in the watershed and 76.47 per cent of the households were interested towards soil testing. 3  About, 100.00 per cent of farmers practicing Field Bunding as soil and water conservation practice.  Fire was the major source of fuel for domestic use for 67.65 per cent of the households and 32.35 per cent households has LPG connection.  Piped supply was the major source for drinking water for 58.82 per cent of the households.  Electricity was the major source of light for 100 per cent of the households.  In the study area, 44.12 per cent of the households possess toilet facility.  Regarding possession of PDS card, 97.06 per cent of the households possessed BPL card and 5.88 per cent of the household’s possessed APL.  Households opined that, the requirement of cereals (91.18%), pulses (94.12%) and oilseeds (11.76%) are adequate for consumption.  Farming constraints experienced by households in the micro watersheds were lower fertility status of the soil (82.35%) wild animal menace on farm field (67.65%), frequent incidence of pest and diseases (82.35%), inadequacy of irrigation water (67.65%), high cost of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (76.47%), high rate of interest on credit (70.59%), low price for the agricultural commodities (82.35%), lack of marketing facilities in the area (41.18%), inadequate extension services (11.76%), lack of transport for safe transport of the agricultural produce to the market (26.47%).