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Soil mapping and variety-based entry-point interventions for strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods – exemplar case of ‘Bhoochetana’ in India

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/9493/
http://dx.doi.org/10.18520/cs/v110/i9/1683-1691
 
Title Soil mapping and variety-based entry-point interventions for strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods – exemplar case of ‘Bhoochetana’ in India
 
Creator Chander, G
Wani, S P
Krishnappa, K
Sahrawat, K L
Pardhasaradhi, G
Jangawad, L S
 
Subject Agriculture
Bhoochetana
Karnataka
Soil Science
 
Description Soil health diagnosis in nearly 100,000 farmers’ fields
under ‘Bhoochetana’ initiative in Karnataka showed
widespread soil degradation. Soil mapping-based fertilizer
management was an effective entry-point intervention
to take most farmers on-board to initiate the
process of upgrading agriculture. Soils of the farmers’
fields showed low levels of micro- and secondary
nutrients such as zinc (Zn) (55%), boron (B) (62%)
and sulphur (S) (52%) in addition to that of phosphorus
(P) (41%), potassium (K) (23%) and soil organic
carbon (C) (52%). Soil mapping-based fertilizer management
recorded significant productivity benefits
that varied from 25% to 47% in cereals, 28% to 37%
in pulses and 22% to 48% in oilseed crops. In terms of
economics, a rupee spent on soil test-based fertility
management brought returns of Rs 3 to Rs 15. Similarly,
the participatory trials showed that the use of
high yielding varieties of sorghum, pearl millet, finger
millet, groundnut, soybean, castor, pigeonpea and
chickpea enhanced productivity by 30% to 123%. The
tangible benefits through soil mapping and variety
based interventions have enhanced the risk-taking
ability of farmers to invest in technologies based on
use of soil testing and use of improved cultivars of
crops. The adoption of simple knowledge-based technologies
as entry point interventions along with policy
reorientation to ensure knowledge sharing and availability
of needed inputs at village level, enabled in a
period of four years (2009–2013) to outreach more
than 5 million families in Karnataka to transfer
improved technologies in more than 7 million ha area.
The study indicates that knowledge-based entry
point interventions like soil mapping and improved
varieties targeted at providing simple solutions are
the best options for quick benefits and rapportbuilding
with the majority farmers to initiate a collective
action for technological upgradation of dry land
agriculture.
 
Publisher Indian Academy of Sciences
 
Date 2016-05-10
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/9493/1/1683.pdf
Chander, G and Wani, S P and Krishnappa, K and Sahrawat, K L and Pardhasaradhi, G and Jangawad, L S (2016) Soil mapping and variety-based entry-point interventions for strengthening agriculture-based livelihoods – exemplar case of ‘Bhoochetana’ in India. Current Science, 110 (09). pp. 1683-1691. ISSN 0011-3891