LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT KEREHALLI-2 (4D3A9E2e) MICRO WATERSHED Kasaba Hobli, Koppal Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Kerehalli-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 396 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 95 per cent is covered by soils, <1 per cent by mining/industrial area, 1 per cent by rock outcrops and 4 per cent is by water bodies. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 15 soil series and 21 soil phases (management units) and 6 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.  An area of about 95 per cent is suitable for agriculture.  About 28 per cent of the soils are shallow to moderately shallow (25-75 cm), 54 per cent of the soils are moderately deep to deep (75-150 cm) and 13 per cent soils are very deep (>150 cm).  About 9 per cent area in the microwatershed has sandy soils, 25 per cent area in the microwatershed has loamy soils and 60 per cent clayey soils at the surface.  About 78 per cent area has non-gravelly (<15% gravel) soils and 17 per cent has gravelly to very gravelly (15-60% gravel) soils.  About 50 per cent area is very low to low (<50-100 mm/m), 38 per cent area is medium (101-150 mm/m) and 8 per cent area is very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity.  About 13 per cent area of the microwatershed has nearly level (0-1% slope) lands and 82 per cent area of the microwatershed has very gently sloping (1-3% slope) lands.  An area of about 64 per cent area is moderately (e2) eroded and about 31 per cent area is slightly (e1) eroded.  An area of about 4 per cent soils are slightly acid (pH 6.0-6.5), 30 per cent soils are neutral (pH 6.5-7.3), 33 per cent soil are slightly alkaline to strongly alkaline (pH 7.3-9.0) and 27 per cent soils are very strongly alkaline (pH >9.0) in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils in the entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is dominantly <2 dsm-1 indicating that the soils are non-saline.  Organic carbon is medium (0.5-0.75%) in 40 per cent area and high (>0.75%) in 55 per cent area.  Entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is high (>57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  An area of about 68 per cent is medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 27 per cent is high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is low (<10 ppm) in available sulphur.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in 38 per cent, medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 18 per cent and high (>1.0 ppm) in 39 per cent area of the microwatershed.  An area of about 91 per cent is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) and 4 per cent is deficient (<4.5 ppm) in available iron content.  An area of about 1 per cent is deficient (<1.0 ppm) and 94 per cent is sufficient (>1.0 ppm) in available manganese content.  Entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is sufficient (>0.2 ppm) in available copper content.  Entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is sufficient (>0.6 ppm) in available zinc content.  The land suitability for 31 major crops grown in the microwatershed was 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 34(9) 268(67) Sapota 21(5) 152(39) Maize 21(5) 318(80) Pomegranate 21(5) 182(46) Bajra 46(12) 302(76) Guava 9(2) 165(42) Groundnut 24(6) 315(80) Jackfruit 21(5) 153(39) Sunflower 34(9) 161(41) Jamun 12(3) 122(31) Cotton 25(6) 277(70) Musambi 34(9) 170(43) Red gram 21(5) 173(44) Lime 34(9) 170(43) Bengalgram 20(5) 281(71) Cashew 29(7) 76(19) Chilli 21(5) 250(63) Custard apple 108(27) 219(55) Tomato 21(5) 250(63) Amla 96(24) 229(58) Brinjal 83(21) 278(70) Tamarind 12(3) 58(15) Onion 53(13) 285(72) Marigold 21(5) 280(71) Bhendi 53(13) 307(78) Chrysanthemum 21(5) 280(71) Drumstick 41(10) 169(43) Jasmine 21(5) 250(63) Mulberry 41(10) 178(45) Crossandra 21(5) 250(63) Mango 12(3) 29(7)  Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 6 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 conserves 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 Kerehalli-2 is located at North latitude 150 22’ 21.052” and 150 20’ 16.654” and East longitude 760 19’ 16.276'' and 760 17’ 31.936” covering an area of about 396.54 ha coming under kerehalli, Shapura and Agalakeri Villages of Koppal taluk.  Socio-economic analysis of Kerehalli-2 micro watersheds of Kerehalli subwatershed, Koppal taluk & District indicated that, out of the total sample of 36 total respondents, 7 (19.44 %) were marginal, 15 (41.67%) were small, 7 (19.44 %) were Semi medium and 2 (5.56 %) were medium farmers.  The population characteristics of households indicated that, there were 87 (63.97%) men and 49 (36.03 %) were women. The average population of landless was 4, marginal farmers were 3.9, small farmers were 3.4, semi medium farmers were 4.4 and medium farmers were 3.5.  Majority of the respondents (44.85%) were in the age group of 16-35 years.  Education level of the sample households indicated that, there were 49.26 per cent illiterates, 19.12 per cent of them had primary school education, 1.47 per cent middle school education, and 19.12 per cent high school education, 4.41 per cent of them had PUC education, 1.47 per cent of them had Diploma, 1.47 per cent attained graduation and 3.68 them had other education.  About, 83.33 per cent of household heads practicing agriculture and 11.11 per cent of the household heads were engaged as agricultural labourers.  Agriculture was the major occupation for 68.38 per cent of the household members.  In the study area, 63.89 per cent of the households possess katcha house and 13.89 per cent possess pucca house.  The durable assets owned by the households showed that, 80.56 per cent possess TV, 13.89 per cent possess mixer grinder, 86.11 per cent possess mobile phones and 50.00 per cent possess motor cycles.  Farm implements owned by the households indicated that, 19.44 per cent of the households possess plough, 11.11 per cent possess bullock cart and 13.89 per cent possess sprayer.  Regarding livestock possession by the households, 11.11 per cent possess local cow.  The average labour availability in the study area showed that, own labour men available in the micro watershed was 1.87, women available in the micro watershed was 1.29, hired labour (men) available was 8.52 and hired labour (women) available was 8.03. 2  Out of the total land holding of the sample respondents 54.16 per cent (38.36 ha) of the area is under dry condition and the remaining 43.21 per cent area is irrigated land.  There were 13.00 live bore wells and 6.00 dry bore wells among the sampled households.  Bore well was the major source of irrigation for 38.89 per cent of the households.  The major crops grown by sample farmers are Maize, Bajra, Bengalgram, Sunflower and Paddy and cropping intensity was recorded as 92.54 per cent.  Out of the sample households 63.89 percent possessed bank account and 2.78 per cent of them have savings in the account.  About 58.33 per cent of the respondents borrowed credit from various sources.  Majority of the respondents (100.00%) have borrowed loan for agriculture purpose.  Regarding the opinion on institutional sources of credit, 35.71 per cent of the households opined that credit helped to perform timely agricultural operations.  Per hectare cost of cultivation for Maize, Bajra, Bengalgram, Sunflower and Paddy was Rs.36592.32 , 32567.54, 50814.82, 25793.01, and 51958.91 with benefit cost ratio of 1:1.10, 1: 1.00, 1: 2.80, 1: 1.70, and 1:3.00 respectively.  Further, 27.78 per cent of the households opined that dry fodder was adequate and 16.67 per cent of the households have opined that the green fodder was adequate.  The average annual gross income of the farmers was Rs. 88652.22 in microwatershed, of which Rs. 73975.00 comes from agriculture.  Sampled households have grown 44 horticulture trees and 20 forestry trees together in the fields and back yards.  Households have an average investment capacity of Rs. 2861.11 for land development and Rs. 722.22 for irrigation facility.  Source of funds for additional investment is concerned, 2.78 per cent depends on own funds and 50.00 per cent depends on bank loan for land development activities.  Regarding marketing channels, 63.89 per cent of the households have sold agricultural produce to the local/village merchants, while, 8.33 per cent have sold in regulated markets.  Further, 66.67 per cent of the households have used tractor for the transport of agriculture commodity.  Majority of the farmers (13.89%) have experienced soil and water erosion problems in the watershed and 58.33 per cent of the households were interested towards soil testing.  Fire was the major source of fuel for domestic use for 61.11 per cent of the households and 36.11 per cent households has LPG connection. 3  Piped supply was the major source for drinking water for 36.11 per cent of the households.  Electricity was the major source of light for 97.22 per cent of the households.  In the study area, 69.44 per cent of the households possess toilet facility.  Regarding possession of PDS card, 97.22 per cent of the households possessed BPL card.  Households opined that, the requirement of cereals (97.22%), pulses (75.00%) and oilseeds (63.89%) are adequate for consumption.  Farming constraints experienced by households in the micro watersheds were lower fertility status of the soil (61.11%) wild animal menace on farm field (63.89%), frequent incidence of pest and diseases (63.89%), inadequacy of irrigation water (44.44%), high cost of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (69.44%), high rate of interest on credit (69.44%), low price for the agricultural commodities (61.11%), lack of marketing facilities in the area (77.78%), inadequate extension services (50.00%), lack of transport for safe transport of the agricultural produce to the market (61.11%), Less rainfall (19.44%) and Source of Agri-technology information (Newspaper/ TV/Mobile) (2.78%).