LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUDIGERE NORTH-2 (4D4A2N1d) MICROWATERSHED Alavandi Hobli, Koppal Taluk & District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Gudigere North-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 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 364 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 99 per cent is covered by soils and 1 per cent by rock outcrops, habitation and water bodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 4 soil series and 5 soil phases (management units) and 3 land management units.  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 320 m grid interval.  Land suitability for growing 31 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 39 per cent of the soils are shallow (25-50 cm), 2 per cent of the soils are moderately shallow (50-75 cm), 20 per cent area are deep (100-150 cm) and 37 per cent has very deep (>150 cm) soils.  Entire area has clayey soils at the surface.  About 58 per cent of the area has non-gravelly (<15%) soil, 39 per cent gravelly (15- 35% gravel) and 1 per cent has very gravelly (35-60%) soils.  About 42 per cent are very low (<50 mm/m) and 57 per cent very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity.  Entire area of about 99 per cent area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  Entire area of about 99 per cent has soils that are moderately eroded (e2) lands.  An area of about 58 per cent are strongly alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0) and 41 per cent are very strongly alkaline (pH >9.0) in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils is <2 dS m-1 and as such the soils are non-saline.  Organic carbon is low (<0.5%) in 63 per cent and medium (0.5-0.75%) in 36 per cent area of the soils.  Available phosphorus is low (<23 kg/ha) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Entire area of the soils are high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium content.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in about 39 per cent, medium (10-20 ppm) in 26 per cent and high (>320 ppm) in the area of about 33 per cent soils.  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 19 per cent, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 68 per cent and high (>1.0 ppm) in 12 per cent area.  Available iron is deficient (<4.5 ppm) in 43 per cent and sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in 55 per cent area of the microwatershed.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  The land suitability for 31 major agricultural and horticultural 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 70 (19) 148 (41) Sapota - - Maize - 213 (58) Pomegranate - 209 (57) Bajra - 213 (58) Musambi 70 (19) 139 (38) Groundnut - - Lime 70 (19) 139 (38) Sunflower 70 (19) 139 (38) Amla - 218 (60) Red gram - 209 (57) Cashew - - Bengalgram 70 (19) 148 (41) Jackfruit - - Cotton 70 (19) 148 (41) Jamun - 208 (57) Chilli - - Custard apple 70 (19) 148 (41) Tomato - - Tamarind - 209 (57) Brinjal - 217 (60) Mulberry - 75 (20) Onion - - Marigold - 218 (60) Bhendi - 217 (60) Chrysanthemum - 218 (60) Drumstick - 209 (57) Jasmine - 9 (2) Mango - - Crossandra - - Guava - -  Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 3 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 that helps in maintaining productivity and ecological balance in the microwatershed.  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. 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 contribute to mitigating the climate change. FINDINGS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY  The survey was conducted in Gudigeri North-2 is located at North latitude 150 21’ 36.361” and 150 20’ 51.482” and East longitude 750 55’ 24.117'' and 750 53’ 57.784” covering an area of about 201.97 ha coming under Kavalura villages of Koppal taluk.  Socio-economic analysis of Gudigeri North-2 micro watersheds of Gudigeri subwatershed, Koppal taluk & District indicated that, out of the total sample of 35 total respondents, 14 (40.00 %) were marginal, 7 (20.00%) were small and 8 (22.86 %) were Semi medium farmers.  The population characteristics of households indicated that, there were 81 (50.00%) men and 81 (50.00 %) were women. The average population of the landless was 4, marginal farmers were 5.3 and small farmers were 3.8 and semi medium farmers were 4.6.  Majority of the respondents (47.53%) were in the age group of 16-35 years.  Education level of the sample households indicated that, there were 29.01 per cent illiterates, 28.40 per cent of them had primary school education, 8.02 per cent middle school education, and 15.43 per cent high school education, 7.41 per cent of them had PUC education, 3.70 per cent attained graduation and 8.02 them had other education.  About, 45.71 per cent of household heads practicing agriculture and 40.00 per cent of the household heads were engaged as agricultural labourers.  Agriculture was the major occupation for 33.33 per cent of the household members.  In the study area, 37.14 per cent of the households possess katcha house and 60.00 per cent possess pucca house.  The durable assets owned by the households showed that, 97.14 per cent possess TV, 62.86 per cent possess mixer grinder and 100.00 per cent possess mobile phones.  Regarding livestock possession by the households, 14.29 per cent possess local cow.  The average labour availability in the study area showed that, own labour men available in the micro watershed was 1.12, women available in the micro watershed was 1.12, hired labour (men) available was 7 and hired labour (women) available was 7.00.  Out of the total land holding of the sample respondents 81.62 per cent (35.74 ha) of the area is under dry condition and the remaining 12.49 per cent area is irrigated land.  There were 3.00 live bore wells and 1.00 dry bore wells among the sampled households.  Bore well was the major source of irrigation for 8.57 per cent of the households.  The major crops grown by sample farmers are Maize, Sunflower, Bengalgram and cropping intensity was recorded as 99.64 per cent. 2  Out of the sample households 8.57 percent possessed bank account.  About 8.57 per cent of the respondents borrowed credit from various sources.  The per hectare cost of cultivation for Maize, Sunflower, Bengalgram was Rs.34581.45 , 24053.88 and 27404.84 with benefit cost ratio of 1:1.20, 1: 1.10 and 1: 0.70 respectively.  Further, 22.86 per cent of the households opined that dry fodder was adequate.  The average annual gross income of the farmers was Rs. 50428.57 in microwatershed, of which Rs. 27142.86 comes from agriculture.  Sampled households have grown 12 forestry trees together in the fields and back yards.  About 2.86 per cent of the households shown interest to cultivate horticultural crops.  Households have an average investment capacity of Rs. 5142.86 for land development and Rs. 1628.57 for irrigation facility.  Source of funds for additional investment is concerned, 74.29 per cent depends on bank loan for land development activities.  Regarding marketing channels, 74.29 per cent of the households have sold agricultural produce to the local/village merchants.  Further, 71.43 per cent of the households have used tractor for the transport of agriculture commodity.  Majority of the farmers (74.29%) have experienced soil and water erosion problems in the watershed and 74.29 per cent of the households were interested towards soil testing.  Fire was the major source of fuel for domestic use for 94.29 per cent of the households and 5.71 per cent households has LPG connection.  Piped supply was the major source for drinking water for 80.00 per cent of the households.  Electricity was the major source of light for 100.00 per cent of the households.  In the study area, 42.86 per cent of the households possess toilet facility.  Regarding possession of PDS card, 100.00 per cent of the households possessed BPL card.  Households opined that, the requirement of cereals (100.00%), pulses (100.00%) and oilseeds (97.14%) are adequate for consumption.  Farming constraints experienced by households in the micro watersheds were lower fertility status of the soil (74.29%) wild animal menace on farm field (71.43%), frequent incidence of pest and diseases (74.29%), inadequacy of irrigation water (5.71%), high cost of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (71.43%), high rate of interest on credit (71.43%), low price for the agricultural commodities (71.43%), lack of marketing facilities in the area (74.29%), inadequate extension services (11.43%) and lack of transport for safe transport of the agricultural produce to the market (68.57%).