LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ADAVALLI-2 (4D4A2O3b) MICROWATERSHED Koppal Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Adavalli-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 boundries. The soil map shows the geographic distribution and extent, characterstics, classification, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 313 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 97 per cent is covered by soils, three per cent by waterbodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 9 soil series and 11 soil phases (management units) and 4 land use classes.  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 250 m grid interval.  Land suitability for growing 24 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 40 per cent of the soils are very shallow (<25 cm) to shallow (25-50 cm) and about 56 per cent are moderately deep to very deep soils (75->150 cm).  Entire area has clayey soils at the surface.  About 44 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 45 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 7 per cent very gravelly (35- 60% gravel) soils.  About 40 per cent area has very low (<50mm/m) to low (51-100 mm/m), 8 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and 49 per cent area very high (>200mm/m) available water capacity.  Entire area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  Entire area has moderately eroded (e2) lands.  Entire area has soils that are strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to 9.0) to very strongly alkaline (pH>9.0).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  Organic carbon is low (<0.5%) in about 44 per cent, 35 per cent of the soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) and 18 per cent of the soils are high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Available phosphorus is low (<23 kg/ha) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Available potassium is high (<337 kg/ha) in the entire area of the microwatershed.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in 76 per cent area, medium (10-20 ppm) in about <1 per cent area and about 20 per cent area is high (>20 ppm).  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 78 per cent area and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 18 per cent area.  Available iron is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in the entire area.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in the entire area.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  The land suitability for 24 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. 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: The Adavalli-2 micro-watershed (Koppal taluk and district) is located in between 15018’ – 15019’ North latitudes and 75056’ – 75058’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 312.58, bounded by Kavalura villages. It falls under Agro Ecological Region (AER)–3: (Deccan plateau, hot arid ecosubregion) Karnataka Plateau (Rayalseema as inclusion), hot arid ESR with deep loamy and clayey mixed red and black soils, low to medium AWC and LGP 60-90 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 for each watershed. Results: We found that Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 56 to 44 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age groups of population are around 63 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 74 per cent.  Wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 80 per cent.  About 40 per cent of households have a Yashiswini health card.  Majority of farm households (80 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employments.  Dependence on ration cards through public distribution system is around 100 per cent  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 20 per cent of sample households.  Institutional participation is only 14.8 per cent of sample households.  Rural migration to unban centre for employment is prevent among 33 per cent of farm households.  Women participation is decisions making are around 40 per cent of households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 5.12 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation among 56 per cent and agricultural labours is predominant subsidiary occupation for 39 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs 16744 per household. Mobile and television are mass popular mass communication media.  The average farm assets values is around 1.05 lakhs, about 40 per cent of sample farmers are owing tractors.  The average per capita food consumption is around 683 grams (1860 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition recommendation at 827 gram. Around 80 per cent of sample farmers are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs 21973 per household. About 75 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly expenditure is around Rs 776 per household. 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 8468 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs 2560349 per year for the total area of 312.58 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food production is around Rs 8749/ ha/year. Per ha food production services is maximum in chillies (Rs 34357/ha) followed by Bengal gram (Rs 5289/ha), Green gram (Rs. 4483/ha), Maize (Rs. 3801), sunflower (Rs. 3484) and onion (Rs. 1080/ha).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs 4613/ ha/year of maize crop.  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 Bengal gram (Rs 41564) followed by Green gram (Rs 40906), Sunflower (Rs 20351), Maize (Rs 15217), chillies (Rs. 2438) and Onion (Rs 672). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is onion (39.32%) followed by sugarcane (17.1%), maize (13.76 %), Bengal gram (9.83 %), green gram (8.2 %), sunflower (7.86 %) and chillies (3.93 %).  In Adavalli-2 micro watershed, major soils are Muttal (MTL) series are having shallow soil deep cover around 34 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing onion (38 %), sunflower (33 %), bengal gram (19.5 %), maize (5.7 %) and chillies (3.8 %). Dambarahalli (DRL) soil series are having moderately deep soil depth cover around 7 per cent of area, major crops grown are maize. 3 Belagatti (BGT) soil series are having very shallow soil depth covers around 5.23 % of area, the major crop grown is green gram.  The total cost of cultivation in the study area for maize ranges between Rs. 17038/ha in MTL soil (with BCR of 1.60) and Rs. 14774/ha in DRL soil (with BCR of 1.34).  Green gram in the cost of cultivation of Rs. 20579/ ha in BGT soil (with BCR of 1.15).  In bengal gram the cost of cultivation in MTL soil is Rs. 19989 /ha (with BCR of 1.26).  In chillies the cost of cultivation in MTL soil is Rs. 27301/ha (with BCR of 2.17).  In onion the cost of cultivation in MTL soil is Rs. 7207/ ha (with BCR of 1.1) and sunflower cost of cultivation in MTL soil is Rs. 18680/ha (with BCR of 1.07). 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 bengal gram (32.3 %), chillies (97 %), green gram (4.1 %), maize (72.5 to 83.7%), onion (98.9%) and sunflower (49.4%).