LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT HANDRAHALU-1 (4D4A1V2d) MICRO WATERSHED Alavandi Hobli, Koppal Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Handrahalu-1 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 592 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 95 per cent is covered by soils, five per cent by waterbodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 11 soil series and 26 soil phases (management units) and 7 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 28 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 5 per cent of the soils are very shallow (<25 cm) to shallow (25-50 cm),about 27 per cent moderately shallow(50-75 cm),about 21per cent are moderately deep and 45 per cent are deep to very deep (100-> 150 cm).  Entire area is having clayey soils at the surface.  About 41per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 42 per cent has gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 11 per cent has very gravelly (35- 60% gravel) soils.  With respect to available water capacity 3 per cent of the area has very low (<50mm/m), 28 per cent has low (51-100 mm/m), 20 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and 43 per cent area has very high (>200mm/m).  An area of about 8 per cent area has nearly level (0-1%) lands and 86 per cent has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  An area of about 43 per cent is slightly eroded (e1) and 51 per cent is moderately eroded (e2) lands.  An area of about 6 per cent has soils that are moderately alkaline (pH 7.8 to 8.4) ,59 per cent strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to 9.0) and 29 per cent soils 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 34 per cent, medium (0.5-0.75%) in 53 per cent and high (>0.75%) in 8 per cent area of the soils.  Available phosphorus is low (<23 kg/ha) in 53 per cent, medium (23-57 kg/ha) in 39 per cent and high (>57 kg/ha) in 3 per cent of the soils.  Available potassium is high (>337 kg/ha) in the entire area.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in 9 per cent, medium (10-20 ppm) in 37 per cent and high (>20 ppm) in 49 per cent area of the soils  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 50 per cent area and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 45 per cent area.  Available iron is deficient in 3 per cent of the area and sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in 92 per cent of the area.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in the entire area.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in the entire area.  The land suitability for 28 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 218(37) 297(50) Pomegranate - 374(63) Maize - - Guava - - Bajra - 9(1) Jackfruit - - Redgram - 355(60) Jamun - 245(41) Bengalgram 218(37) 297(50) Musambi 111(19) 262(44) Groundnut - 9(1) Lime 111(19) 262(44) Sunflower 109(18) 256(43) Cashew - - Cotton 218(37) 297(50) Custard apple 239(40) 295(50) Chilli - - Amla 534(90) Tomato - Tamarind 253(43) Drumstick 373(63) Marigold - 517(87) Mulbery - 534(90) Chrysanthemum - 517(87) Mango - Jasmine - 151(26) Sapota - - Crossandra - 65(11) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 7 identified LUCs 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 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. That would help in supplementing the farm income, provide fodder and fuel, and generate lot of biomass which inturn would help in maintaining the ecological balance and contribute to mitigating the climate change. 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 Handrahalu-1 micro-watershed (Koppal taluk and district) is located in between 15017’ – 15019’ North latitudes and 7601’ – 7604’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 592.03 ha, bounded by Narasapura, Hireshindhogi, Handrala and Hanvala villages. 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: The socio-economic outputs for the Handrahalu-1 Microwatershed in Koppal taluk and district are presented here Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 52.9 to 47.1 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 56.9 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 75.5 per cent.  Social groups belong to SC/ST is around 29 per cent.  Wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 97.4 per cent.  About 78.9 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Majority of farm households (92.1%) are having MGNREGA card for rural employments.  Dependence on ration cards through public distribution system is around 89.5 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 52.6 per cent.  Institutional participation is only 5.45 per cent.  Rural migration to unban centre for employment is prevalent among 8.3 per cent.  Women participation is decisions making are around 47.3 per cent were found. 2 Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 2.04 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to medium and semi-medium farmers. The dry land account for 70.4 % and irrigated land is 9.8 % of total cultivated land of the sample farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 4.5 per cent and Agriculture is the main and non agriculture labour is predominant subsidiary occupation for 58.8 per cent.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs 45685 per household. Mobile and television are mass popular mass communication media.  The average farm assets a value is around Rs 41955 per household, about 36.1 per cent of sample farmers are owing plough.  The average livestock value is around Rs 20785 per livestock; about 52.8 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 683 grams (1822.9 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Around 74.4 per cent of sample farmers are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs 26410 per household. About 15.8 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly expenditure is around Rs 845 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 900.3 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs 505064 per year for the total area of 571.4 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food production is around Rs 7638/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in wheat (Rs 14947/ha) followed by sorghum (Rs 12876/ha), sunflower (Rs 11021/ha), bengal gram (Rs 10034/ha), maize (Rs 5619/ha), green gram (Rs 5071/ha), cotton (Rs 4463/ha) and bajra is negative returns.  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs 1562/ ha/year. Per hectare fodder production services is maximum in maize (Rs 2009/ha) followed by sorghum (Rs 1992/ha) and bajra (Rs 684 /ha).  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 60694) followed by cotton (Rs 59710), sorghum (Rs 53817), bajra (Rs 52810), 3 sunflower (Rs 37915), green gram (Rs 35038), maize (Rs 20463) and wheat (Rs 19072). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is maize (52.3 %) followed by sunflower (14.4 %), sorghum (13.9 %), bengal gram (8.3 %), bajra (3.7 %), green gram (3.7 %), wheat (2.6 %), cotton (1.2 %).  In Handrahalu-1 micro watershed, major soils are soil of alluvial landscape of Ravanaki (RNK) series are having moderately shallow soil deep cover around 25.57 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing maize (31.9 %) sorghum (24.2%), sunflower (20.2 %), bengal gram (12 %) and bajra (11.7 %). Soil of granite and granite gneiss landscape of Kutegoudanahundi (KGH) are also having having moderately shallow soil deep cover around 0.97 % of area, the crops are maize (50.9 %), bajra and sunflower was 24.5 % each. Gatareddihal (GRH) soil series having deep soil depth cover around 23.42 % of areas, crops are maize (31.9 %) and sorghum (68.1 %). Narasapura (NSP) and Dambarahalli (DRL) soil series are having moderately deep soil depth cover around 15.53 % and 1.87 per cent of area, respectively. The major crops grown are maize (63.3 % and 37.5 %), cotton (37.5 %), sunflower (25 %), bengal gram (20.9%) and sorghum (15.7 %). Belagatti (BGT) soil series are having very shallow soil depth covers around 3.31 % of area, the major crop grown is maize, sorghum and sunflower. Bardur (BDR) and Murlapur (MLR) soil series having very deep soil depth cover 1.54 % and 0.41 % of areas respectively; crops are wheat, bajra, maize, sunflower and sorghum.  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for bajra ranges between Rs.27889/ha in MLR soil (with BCR of 1.17) and Rs.14448/ha in KGH soil (with BCR of 1.08).  In bengal gram the cost of cultivation range between Rs 36127/ha in RNK soil (with of 1.26) and Rs.18079/ha in NSP soil (With BCR of 1.63).  In maize the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 52523/ha in BDR soil (with BCR of 0.99) and Rs. 15329/ha in MLR soil (with BCR of 1.34).  In sorghum cost of cultivation range between is Rs.29466/ha in GRH soil (with BCR of 1.61) and Rs 16475 in RNK soil (with BCR of 1.10).  In sunflower the cost of cultivation range between is Rs 39247/ha in DRL soil (with BCR of 1.10) and Rs. 13809/ha in MLR soil (with BCR of 2.25).  In cotton the cost of cultivation in DRL soil is Rs.32587/ha (with BCR of 1.14) and wheat cultivation in MLR soil is Rs 19253/ha (with BCR of 1.74).  The land management practices reported by the farmers are crop rotation, tillage practices, fertilizer application and use of Farm Yard Manure (FYM). Due to higher wages farmer are following labour saving strategies is not prating soil and 4 water conservation measures. Less ownership of livestock limiting application of FYM.  It was observed soil quality influences on the type and intensity of land use. Fertilizer applications are deeper soils to maximize returns. 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 bajra (9.2 to 12.5 %), bengal gram (9.9 % %), cotton (19 %), maize (44.2 to 78.8 %), sorghum (43.5 %), sorghum (0.1 to 35.4 %), sunflower (0.0 to 11.1 %) and wheat (63.1 %).