LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TUMKUR-2 (4D5B1I2b) MICROWATERSHED Yadgir Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Tumkur-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 794 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 712 ha (90%) ha in the microwatershed is covered by soils and about 82 ha (10%) by others (Habitation and water body). The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 8 soil series and 10 soil phases (management units) and 4 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.  An area of about 90 per cent is suitable for agriculture in the microwatershed.  About 78 per cent area of the microwatershed has soils that are deep to very deep (100- >150 cm), whereas 3 per cent soils are moderately deep (75-100 cm) and about 8 per cent soils are moderately shallow (50-75 cm) and 1 per cent soils are shallow (25-50 cm) in the microwatershed.  About 4 percent soils are sandy, 20 percent soils are loamy and 65 per cent is clayey soils at the surface.  An area of about 77 per cent is non gravelly (<15%) soils and about 13 per cent soils are gravelly (15-35%) in the microwatershed.  About 78 per cent area of the microwatershed is very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity. About 3 per cent area of the microwatershed is medium (101-150 mm/m) and about 9 per cent soils are low (51-100 mm/m) and very low (<50mm/m) in available water capacity.  Entire cultivated area falls under very gently sloping (1-3% slope) lands in the microwatershed.  An area of about 45 per cent is moderately (e2) eroded and about 44 per cent are slightly (e1) eroded lands in the microwatershed.  An area of about <1 per cent soils are neutral (pH 6.5-7.3), about 20 per cent soil are slightly alkaline (pH 7.3-7.8), about 59 per cent soil are moderately alkaline (pH 7.8-8.4) and 10 per cent soil are strongly alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0)soil reaction in the microwatershed.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils in the entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is <2 dsm-1 indicating that the soils are non-saline.  An area of 66 per cent is high (>0.75%), about 19 percent is medium (0.50-0.75%) and 5 per cent is low (<0.5%) in organic carbon content.  An area of about 11 per cent is medium (23-57 kg/ha) and 78 percent soils are high (>57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  An area of about 24 per cent is medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 66 per cent is high in available potassium (>337 kg/ha) in the microwatershed.  Available sulphur is high (>20 ppm) in an area of about 79 per cent, about 4 per cent is medium (10-20 ppm) and about 7 per cent is low (<10 ppm) in the microwatershed.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in an area of about 36 per cent, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in about 33 per cent soils and high (>1.0 ppm) in about 20 per cent soils.  Available iron content is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in an area of about 83 per cent and 7 per cent is deficient (<4.5 ppm) in the microwatershed.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils of the microwatershed.  An area of about 24 per cent is deficient (<0.6 ppm) and 65 per cent is sufficient (>0.6 ppm) in available zinc content in 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 22(3) 681(86) Guava - 27(3) Maize 27(3) 677(85) Sapota - 27(3) Bajra 27(3) 677(85) Pomegranate - 107(13) Groundnut 5(<1) 82(11) Musambi - 107(13) Sunflower - 107(13) Lime - 107(13) Redgram - 643(81) Amla 27(3) 60(8) Bengal gram <1(<1) 514(65) Cashew - - Cotton - 102(13) Jackfruit - 27(3) Chilli 27(3) 140(18) Jamun - - Tomato 27(3) 60(8) Custard apple 5(<1) 162(20) Brinjal 27(3) 60(8) Tamarind - - Onion 27(3) 60(8) Mulberry - 27(3) Bhendi 27(3) 140(18) Marigold 27(3) 140(18) Drumstick - 27(3) Chrysanthemum 27(3) 140(18) 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, fiber 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, 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 to 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 Tumkur-2 is located at North latitude 160 46’ 49.019” and 160 44’ 40.265” and East longitude 770 5’ 41.723” and 770 3’ 33.478” covering an area of about 792.08 ha coming under Thumakura and Yadhagiri B villages of Yadagiri taluk.  Socio-economic analysis of Tumkur-2 micro watersheds of Yadgir sub-watershed, Yadgir taluk & District indicated that, out of the total sample of 35 farmers were sampled in Tumkur-2 micro-watershed among households surveyed 14 (40.00%) were marginal, 7 (20.00%) were small, 6 (17.14 %) were semi medium, 2 (5.71 %) were medium and 1(3%) were large farmers. 5 landless farmers were also interviewed for the survey.  The population characteristics of households indicated that, there were 86 (55.13%) men and 70 (44.87 %) were women. The average population of landless was 4.20, marginal farmers were 4.57, small farmers were 4.29, semi medium farmers were 4.50 and medium farmers were 5.0.  Majority of the respondents (51.28%) were in the age group of 16-35 years.  Education level of the sample households indicated that, there were 46.79 per cent illiterates, 58.98 per cent pre university education and 3.21 per cent attained graduation.  About, 80.00 per cent of household heads practicing agriculture and 5.71 per cent of the household heads were engaged as agricultural labourers.  Agriculture was the major occupation for 58.33 per cent of the household members.  In the study area, 68.57 per cent of the households possess katcha house and 31.43 per cent possess pucca house.  The durable assets owned by the households showed that, 97.14 per cent possess TV, 37.14 per cent possess mixer grinder, 100.00 per cent possess mobile phones and 48.57 per cent possess motor cycles.  Farm implements owned by the households indicated that, 14.29 per cent of the households possess plough, 2.86 per cent possess tractor, 8.57 per cent possess bullock cart and 2.86 per cent possess sprayer.  Regarding livestock possession by the households, 2.86 per cent possess local cow.  The average labour availability in the study area showed that, own labour men available in the micro watershed was 1.77, women available in the micro watershed was 1.17, hired labour (men) available was 11.27 and hired labour (women) available was 10.83. 2  Out of the total land holding of the sample respondents 63.02 per cent (45.63 ha) of the area is under dry condition and the remaining 35.21 per cent area is irrigated land.  There were 7.00 live bore wells and 1 canal among the sampled households.  Bore well was the major source of irrigation for 20.00 per cent of the households and Canal for 2.86 per cent of the households.  The major crops grown by sample farmers are Paddy, Redgram, Cotton, Greengram and cropping intensity was recorded as 112.42 per cent.  Out of the sample households 57.14 percent possessed bank account.  About 57.14 per cent of the respondents borrowed credit from various sources.  The per hectare cost of cultivation for Paddy, Redgram, Cotton, Greengram and Sorghum was Rs.47573.96, 42384.62, 37025.76, 15523.69 and 36524.17 with benefit cost ratio of 1:2.20, 1: 1.50, 1: 0.00, 1: 3.89 and 1:2.80 respectively.  Further, 31.43 per cent of the households opined that dry fodder was adequate.  The average annual gross income of the farmers was Rs. 157714.29 in microwatershed, of which Rs. 100600.00 comes from agriculture.  Sampled households have grown 6 horticulture trees and 61 forestry trees together in the fields and back yards.  Households have an average investment capacity of Rs. 5371.43 for land development and Rs. 142.86 for irrigation facility.  Source of funds for additional investment is concerned, 5.71 per cent depends on own funds and 37.14 per cent depends on bank loan for land development activities.  Regarding marketing channels, 85.71 per cent of the households have sold agricultural produce to the local/village merchants, while, 2.86 per cent have sold in regulated markets.  Further, 77.14 per cent of the households have used tractor for the transport of agriculture commodity.  Majority of the farmers (82.86%) have experienced soil and water erosion problems in the watershed and 85.71 per cent of the households were interested towards soil testing.  Fire was the major source of fuel for domestic use for 68.57 per cent of the households and 42.86 per cent households has LPG connection.  Piped supply was the major source for drinking water for 102.86 per cent of the households.  Electricity was the major source of light for 102.86 per cent of the households.  In the study area, 57.14 per cent of the households possess toilet facility.  Regarding possession of PDS card, 100.00 per cent of the households possessed BPL card. 3  Households opined that, the requirement of cereals (102.86%), pulses (97.14%) and oilseeds (28.57%) are adequate for consumption.  Farming constraints experienced by households in the micro watersheds were lower fertility status of the soil (88.57%) wild animal menace on farm field (88.57%), frequent incidence of pest and diseases (88.57%), inadequacy of irrigation water (42.86%), high cost of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (85.71%), high rate of interest on credit (77.14%), low price for the agricultural commodities (82.86%), lack of marketing facilities in the area (82.86%), inadequate extension services (11.43%), lack of transport for safe transport of the agricultural produce to the market (25.71%) and Less rainfall (2.86%).