LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SONATH-1 (4D5B7G2b) MICROWATERSHED Gulbarga Taluk, Gulbarga District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Sonath-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, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwatershed. The present study covers an area of 445 ha in Sonath -1 microwatershed in Gulbarga taluk of Gulbarga district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought-prone with an average annual rainfall of 740 mm, of which about 540 mm is received during south–west monsoon, 126 mm during north-east and the remaining 74 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 96 per cent is covered by soils, four per cent by waterbodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 5 soil series and 14 soil phases (management units) and 5 land use classes.  The length of crop growing period is about 120-150 days starting from the 3rd week of May to 1rd 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 constraints were generated.  About 80 per cent area is suitable for agriculture and 16 per cent is not suitable for agriculture.  About 65 per cent area has very shallow (<25 cm) to shallow (25-50 cm) and about 31 per cent are moderately deep (75-100 cm) to very deep (>150 cm) soils.  About 72 per cent of the area has clayey soils and about 24 % loamy soils at the surface.  About 55 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 12 per cent gravelly to very gravelly soils (15-60 % gravel) and 29 per cent extremely gravelly soils (60-80%).  About 65 per cent of the area has soils that are very low (<50mm/m) to low (51- 100 mm/m), 7 per cent medium (100-150 mm/m) and about 24 per cent very high (>200 mm/m) in available water capacity.  About 67 per cent of the area has very gently sloping (1-3%), about 13 per cent area is gently sloping (3-5%) and about 16 per cent area has moderately sloping (5-10%) lands.  An area of about 34 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 33 per cent moderately eroded (e2) and 29 per cent severely eroded (e3).  An area of about 23 per cent has soils that are slightly alkaline (pH 7.3 to 7.8), about 37 per cent moderately alkaline (pH 7.8-8.4), about 15 per cent strongly alkaline (pH 8.4-9.0) and 22 per cent area is neutral (pH 6.5-7.3) in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  About 21 per cent medium (0.5-0.75%) and 76 per cent high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Major area of 47 per cent has soils that are low (<23 kg/ha), 46 per cent medium (23-57 kg/ha) and 4 per cent high (>57 kg/ha) in available phosphorus.  About 7 per cent low (<145 kg/ha), 67 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 23 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in about 16 per cent area and medium (10-20 ppm) in 81 per cent area.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 52 per cent area and 44 per cent medium (0.5-1.0 ppm).  About 11 per cent area has soils that are deficient (<4.5 ppm) in available iron and 86 per cent sufficient (>4.5 ppm).  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  About 82 per cent area has soils that are deficient (<0.6 ppm) in available zinc and 14 per cent sufficient (>0.6 ppm).  The land suitability for 19 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 140 (31) - Sapota - - Maize - - Jackfruit - - Red gram - 140 (31) Jamun - 107 (24) Sunflower 140 (31) - Musambi 107 (24) 33 (7) Cotton 107 (24) 33 (7) Lime 107 (24) 33 (7) Sugarcane - - Cashew - - Soybean 140 (31) - Custard apple 140 (31) - Bengal gram 140 (31) 75 (17) Amla 140 (31) - Guava - - Tamarind - 107 (24) Mango - - Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 5 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 sustained production and also maintaining in the 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. This would help in not only supplementing the farm income but also provides fodder and fuel and generate lot of biomass. This helps in maintaining an ecological balance and also contributes 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: Sonath-1 micro-watershed (Sonath-1 sub-watershed, Gulbarga taluk and district) is located in between 17035’–17037’ North latitudes and 7705’–7707’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 445 ha, bounded by Mormanchi, Malsapur, Kinhi, Chengta and Margatti 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 Sonath-1 micro-watershed (Sonath subwatershed, Gulbarga taluk, Gulbarga district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 60.5 to 39.5 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 62.8 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 72.1 per cent.  Social groups belong to general caste is around 50 per cent.  Wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 50 per cent.  About 10 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system is around 60 per cent.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 30 per cent of sample household.  Women participation in decisions making is among all the households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding 1.6 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belonging to marginal and small and large farmers. The rain fed land is the total cultivated land area among all the sample farmers. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation among 72.1 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation around 11.6 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs.75901 per household. Mobile and television are popular mass media communication.  The average farm assets value is around Rs. 181375 per household, about 50 per cent of sample farmers having bullock cart, plough, sprayer and tractor.  The average livestock value is around Rs. 71250 per household; among the all sample household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 823 grams (1811.5 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 827 gram. Around 60 per cent of sample farmers are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs. 55519 per household. About 80 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly average expenditure is around Rs. 2428. 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. 628 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 345861 per year for the total area of 444.65 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 8286/ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in redgram (Rs. 19003) followed by black gram (Rs. 3970) and green gram (Rs. 1886).  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 redgram (Rs. 57451) followed by green gram (Rs. 48847) and black gram (Rs. 45488). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is redgram (86.0 %) followed by black gram (8.2 %) and green gram (5.7 %).  Sonath-1 micro-watershed, major soil is Marguti (DDT) series having very shallow soil depth cover around 44.9 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing redgram, Novinihala (DGR) are having shallow soil depth cover around 3 16.9 % of area, the crops are red gram and Mannur soil series having very deep soil depth cover around 24.0 % of area; major crops are black gram, red gram and green gram.  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for red gram ranges between Rs. 23799 ha in MAR soil (with BCR of 1.46) and Rs.19508 /ha in NHA soil (with BCR of 2.53).  In green gram the cost of cultivation Rs 38785ha in MAR soil (with BCR of 1.06) and black gram the cost of cultivation in MAR soil Rs.22377/ha (with BCR of 1.18).  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 red gram (0 to 21.2 %), green gram (18.5 %) and black gram (32.5 %).