INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL FARM IN SHIWALIK FOOTHILLS

Abstract

VILLAGE SUKHOMAJRI , NEAR KALKA IN HARYANA HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS A MODEL BY THE SCIENTISTS OF CSWCRTI , DEHRADUN UNDER AN OPERATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMME. THE PROJECT SHOWS WHAT TRANSFORMATION CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY PLANNED AND SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT . DESCRIBING THE SOCIO- ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF THE FARMERS OF THIS FOOTHILL REGION, WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN KEEPING THE AREA BACKWARDS, THE PAPER DESCRIBES A STRATEGY FOR PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OF A SMALL FARM. THE DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURE OF A 1.4 HA FARM PROVIDES DETAILS ABOUT LIMITED IRRIGATION, LAND DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVED SEEDS AND FERTILIZERS, MAIN CEREAL CROPS, HORTICULTURE , VEGETABLES , FARM FORESTRY AND FODDER CROPS. THE FARMER WAS MOTIVATED TO DEVELOP THE FARM WITH HIS OWN INDIGENOUS RESOURCES AND NOT TO DEPEND ON EXTERNAL HELP IN THE FORM OF LOANS AND SUBSIDIES . THE PARTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FARM PLAN RAISED THE ANNUAL INCOME OF THE FARMER FROM RS 2,373 TO 8300.