LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DUMMADRI-4 (4D5A3O2d) MICROWATERSHED Jewargi Taluk, Gulbarga District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Dummadri-4 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, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 585 ha in Dummadri-4 microwatershed in Jewargi taluk of Gulbarga district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought-prone with an average annual rainfall of 751 mm, of which about 538 mm is received during south–west monsoon, 138 mm during north-east and the remaining 75 mm during the rest of the year. 96 per cent area is covered by soils and 4 per cent is by habitation and waterbodies. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 2 soil series and 4 soil phases (management units) and one land use class.  The length of crop growing period is about 150 days starting from the 1st week of June to 1st 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 250 m grid interval.  Land suitability for growing 19 major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with the constraints were generated.  96 per cent area is suitable for agriculture and 4 per cent is not suitable.  About 89 per cent of the soils are very deep (>150 cm) and 7 per cent is deep (100- 150 cm) soils.  Entire area in the microwatershed has clayey soils at the surface.  Entire area has non-gravelly (<15%) soils.  Entire area has soils that are very high (>200mm/m) in available water capacity.  Entire area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  An area of about 35 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 61 per cent moderately eroded (e2).  An area of about 72 per cent has soils that are strongly alkaline soils (pH 8.4-9.0) and 24 per cent very strongly alkaline (>9.0).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dS m-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 13 ha (2%) area is low (<0.5%) in organic carbon, medium (0.5-0.75%) in about 430 ha (73%) and high (>0.75%) in 118 ha (20%) in organic carbon.  Major area of 83 per cent has soils that are low (<23 kg/ha), 8 per cent medium (23- 57 kg/ha) and 4 per cent high (>57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About 66 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) and 30 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is medium (10-20 ppm) in 76 per cent and 20 per cent high (>20 ppm) in available sulphur.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 34 per cent area and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in about 61 per cent area.  About 91 per cent area is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) and 5 per cent is deficient (<4.5ppm) in available iron.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  About 85 per cent area has soils that are deficient (<0.6 ppm) in available zinc and 10 per cent sufficient (>0.6 ppm).  The land suitability for 19 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 562 (96) - Guava - 562 (96) Maize - - Jackfruit - - Red gram - 562 (96) Jamun - 562 (96) Soybean 562 (96) - Musambi 562 (96) - Bengalgram 562 (96) - Lime 562 (96) - Sunflower 562 (96) - Cashew - - Cotton 562 (96) - Custard apple 562 (96) - Sugarcane - - Amla 562 (96) - Mango - - Tamarind - 562 (96) Sapota - 562 (96) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the one identified LUCs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fibre and horticulture crops that helps in maintaining the productivity and ecological balance in the microwatershed.  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. This would help in maintaining ecological balance and contribute to mitigating 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: Dummadri-4 micro-watershed (Dummadri sub-watershed, Jewargi taluk, Gulbarga district) is located in between 16045’ – 16048’ North latitudes and 76030’ – 76034’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 585.29 ha, bounded by Dummadri, Kachapura, Vadagera and Sumbada villages with length of growing period (LGP) 120- 150 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. Results: The socio-economic outputs for Dummadri-4 micro-watershed (Dummadri subwatershed, Jewargi taluk, Gulbarga district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 61.5 to 38.5 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 56.4 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 69.2 per cent.  Social groups belong to general caste is around 70.0 per cent.  Fire wood is the source of energy for a cooking among all the households.  About 20.0 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  About 10.0 per cent of farm households are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 90.0 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 10.0 per cent of sample households.  Women participation in decisions making are around 30 per cent of households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.98 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers. The dry land is total cultivated area among all the sample farmers. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation among 27.6 per cent and agriculture is the main and non agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 65.5 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 19429 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 7929 per household, about 50 per cent of sample farmers having bullock cart.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 57222 per household; about 50 per cent of household are having livestock in sample households.  The average per capita food consumption is around 869 grams (1871.3 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Among all sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs. 55082 per household. About 70.0 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly average expenditure is around Rs. 2707. 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. 894 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 502518 per year for the total area of 563 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 20104/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in cotton (Rs. 29367) followed by redgram (Rs. 20481) and paddy (Rs. 10464).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs 1366/ ha/year is paddy.  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 red gram (Rs. 59056), cotton (Rs. 48673) and paddy (Rs. 29483). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is paddy (55.0 %) followed by cotton (24.9 %) and red gram (20.1 %)  In Dummadri micro-watershed, major soil are Yedrami (YDM) series having very deep soil depth cover around 88.6 % of area; the main crop are cotton (24.6 %), paddy (55.4 %) and redgram (20.0 %).  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for paddy in YDM soil is Rs.27719/ha (with BCR of 1.41). 3  In cotton the cost of cultivation in YDM soil is Rs.20164/ha (with BCR of 2.52) and red gram the cost of cultivation in YDM soil is Rs 17487/ha (with BCR of 2.19).  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 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. More fertilizer applications in deeper soil 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 paddy (69.9%), cotton (29.3%) and redgram (11.1 %).