LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT THANAGUNDA Rs (4D5B2M2c) MICROWATERSHED Yadgir Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Thanagunda-Rs 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 825 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 666 ha in the microwatershed is covered by soils, about 74 ha by rock outcrops and about 79 ha 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 11 soil phases (management units) and 5 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 81 per cent is suitable for agriculture in the microwatershed.  About 42 per cent area of the microwatershed has soils that are deep to very deep (100- >150 cm), 18 per cent soils are moderately deep (75-100), whereas 20 per cent soils are very shallow and shallow (<25-50 cm) in the microwatershed.  About 20 percent soils are sandy, 34 percent soils are loamy and 27 per cent is clayey soils at the surface.  Major cultivated area of about 80 per cent is non gravelly (<15%) soils and about <1 per cent soils are gravelly (15-35%) in the microwatershed.  About 42 per cent area of the microwatershed is very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity, 4 per cent soils are medium (101-150 mm/m) and 34 per cent soils are low (51-100 mm/m) and very low (<50mm/m) available water capacity.  Entire cultivated area in the microwatershed is very gently sloping (1-3% slope) lands.  Entire cultivated area is moderately (e2) eroded in the microwatershed  Entire cultivated area in the microwatershed is neutral (pH 6.5-7.3), in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils in the entire cultivated area of the microwatershed is dominately <2 dsm-1 indicating that the soils are non-saline.  An area of about 4 per cent is high (>0.75%), 32 percent is medium (0.50-0.75%) and 44 percent is low (<0.50%) in organic carbon content.  An area of 14 percent is low (<23 kg/ha) in available phosphorus, about 46 percent is medium (23-57 kg/ha) and 21 percent soils are high (>57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  An area of <1 percent is high (>337kg/ha) and 80 percent is medium (145- 337kg/ha) in available potassium.  An area of about 13 percent is high (>20ppm), 11 percent is medium (10-20ppm) and 56 percent area is low (<10ppm) in available sulphur.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in a maximum area of about 58 per cent and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in about 23 per cent soils.  Available iron content is sufficient (>4.5ppm) in an area of 80 per cent and 1 per cent is deficient (<4.5ppm) in the microwatershed.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils of the microwatershed.  Available zinc content is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in the entire cultivated area of 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 333(40) 165(20) Guava - 150(18) Maize 150(18) 348(42) Sapota - 150(18) Bajra 150(18) 348(42) Pomegranate - 344(42) Groundnut 11(1) 138(17) Musambi 194(24) 150(18) Sunflower 194(24) 149(18) Lime 194(24) 150(18) Redgram - 497(60) Amla 150(18) 194(24) Bengal gram 194(24) - Cashew - 103(12) Cotton 194(24) 138(17) Jackfruit - 150(18) Chilli 150(18) 194(24) Jamun - 194(24) Tomato 150(18) - Custard apple 309(37) 35(4) Brinjal 150(18) - Tamarind - 194(24) Onion 150(18) - Mulberry - 150(18) Bhendi 150(18) 194(24) Marigold 150(18) 194(24) Drumstick - 344(42) Chrysanthemum 150(18) 194(24) 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 Thanagunda Rs is located at North latitude 160 48’ 47.81” and 160 47’ 9.546” and East longitude 770 5’ 45.378'' and 770 3’ 22.977” covering an area of about 824.88 ha coming under Tanagundhi, Thumakura and Kanchagarahalli villages of Yadagiri taluk.  Socio-economic analysis indicated that, out of the total sample of 34 respondents, 7 (20.59%) were marginal, 14 (41.18%) were small and 7 (20.59%) were semi medium, 1 (2.94%) were medium farmers.  The population characteristics of households indicated that, there were 114 (63.69%) men and 65 (36.31%) were women. Majority of the respondents (41.90%) were in the age group of 16-35 years.  Education level of the sample households indicated that, majority there were 40.22 per cent illiterates and only 4.47 per cent attained graduation.  About, 73.53 per cent of household heads practicing agriculture and 5.88 per cent of the household heads were engaged as agricultural labourers.  Agriculture was the major occupation for 62.57 per cent of the household members.  In the study area, 85.29 per cent of the households possess katcha house and 8.82 per cent possess pucca house.  The durable assets owned by the households showed that, 73.53 per cent possess TV, 58.82 per cent possess mixer grinder and 102.94 per cent possess mobile phones.  Farm implements owned by the households indicated that, 32.35 per cent of the households possess plough and only 14.71 per cent sprayer.  Regarding livestock possession by the households, 5.88 per cent possess local cow and 2.94 per cent possess buffalo respectively.  The average labour availability in the study area showed that, own labour men available in the micro watershed was 1.71, women available in the micro watershed was 1.53, hired labour (men) available was 9.38 and hired labour (women) available was 7.91.  Further, 14.71 per cent of the households opined that hired labour was inadequate during the agricultural season.  In the study area, about 2.23 per cent of the respondents migrated from the micro watershed in search of jobs with an average distance of 2720.00 kms for about 7.00 months.  Out of the total land holding of the sample respondents (40.65 ha), 85.67 per cent of the area is under dry condition and the remaining 12.33 per cent area is irrigated land.  There were 2.00 bore wells among the sampled households.  Bore well was the major source of irrigation for 5.88 per cent of the households. 2  The major crops grown by sample farmers are Red gram, Cotton, Groundnut, Jowar and Paddy and cropping intensity was recorded as 100.00 per cent.  The sample households possessed 76.47 per cent bank account and 38.24 per cent of them have savings in the account.  About 38.24 per cent of the respondents borrowed credit from various sources. Among the credit borrowed by households, 53.85 per cent have borrowed loan from commercial banks and 38.46 per cent from Cooperative bank.  Majority of the respondents (100.00 %) have borrowed loan for agriculture purpose.  Regarding the opinion on institutional sources of credit, 100.00 per cent of the households opined that credit helped to perform timely agricultural operations.  The per hectare cost of cultivation for Red gram, Cotton, Groundnut, Jowar and Paddy was Rs.29628.77, 33083.33, 60299.77, 40188.22 and 40549.18 with benefit cost ratio of 1:1.30, 1: 1.04, 1: 0.60, 1: 0.70 and 1:1.10 respectively.  Further, 35.29 per cent of the households opined that dry fodder was adequate.  The average annual gross income of the farmers was Rs. 70561.76 in microwatershed, of which Rs. 57885.29 comes from agriculture.  The total number of horticultural trees grown (both field and backyard) by the sampled households were coconut (2) and Mango (4) trees in the fields, and forest species have grown 49 neem trees, 12 tamarind trees, 1 banyan trees together in both field and backyard.  Households have an average investment capacity of Rs. 1597.06 for land development, Rs. 88.24 for creation of irrigation facility, Rs.2470.59 for adoption of improved crop production and Rs.235.29 adoption of improved livestock management.  Source of funds raised from own sources for land development was 38.24 per cent, for irrigation facility was 2.94 per cent, for improved crop production was 32.35 per cent and for improved livestock adoption was 11.8 per cent.  Regarding marketing channels, 82.35 per cent of the households have sold agricultural produce to the local/village merchants, while, 2.94 per cent have sold by Agents/Traders.  Further, 44.12 per cent of the households have used tractor for the transport of agriculture commodity.  Majority of the farmers (41.18 %) have experienced soil and water erosion problems in the watershed and 82.35 per cent of the households were interested towards soil testing.  Firewood connection was the major source of fuel for domestic use for 32.35 per cent of the households and 64.71 per cent households has LPG.  Piped supply was the major source for drinking water for 97.06 per cent of the households. 3  Electricity was the major source of light for 100.00 per cent of the households.  In the study area, 26.47 per cent of the households possess toilet facility.  Regarding possession of PDS card, 94.12 per cent of the households possessed BPL card and 5.88 per cent do not possess PDS card.  Cereals (58.82%), pulses (50.00%), oilseeds (26.47%) were adequate for consumption.  Farming constraints experienced by households in the micro watersheds were lower fertility status of the soil (85.29%) wild animal menace on farm field (85.29%), frequent incidence of pest and diseases (55.88%), inadequacy of irrigation water (85.29%), high cost of fertilizers and plant protection chemicals (79.41%), high rate of interest on credit (85.29%), low price for the agricultural commodities (82.35%), lack of marketing facilities in the area (55.88%), inadequate extension services (85.29%), lack of transport for safe transport of the agricultural produce to the market (79.41%).