Practice of double transplanting (Sanda method) in rice: small holder farmers’ adaptation to multiple stressors in a sub-humid climate
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Title |
Practice of double transplanting (Sanda method) in rice: small holder farmers’ adaptation to multiple stressors in a sub-humid climate
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Creator |
Ranjay K Singh, Anshuman Singh, Arvind Upadhyay, Ankit Goswami, Parvender, Satyendra Kumar, K Thimmappa and DK Sharma
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Description |
Small-holder farmers world over are increasingly experiencing the challenges caused by the extreme climate variability, land degradation, low incomes and weak policy support making them extremely vulnerable to climate change induced risks. Dismal adaptive capacity, virtual absence of an enabling policy environment and the weak interface with the formal knowledge providers are the factors compelling such farmers to develop their own location specific practices for effective adaptation to such stressors. This paper examines how small-holder farmers of eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) are using the local knowledge for sustaining the rice yields in a multiple stress environment. Study was carried out with 45 key knowledge farmers selected randomly from 9 villages, i.e ., three each from three purposively selected districts (Azamgarh, Jaunpur and Gajipur) of eastern UP. Data were collected using intensive transect walk, participant observations, distant learning and informal interactions, and personal interviews using a structured questionnaire in combination with the soil testing results. Results indicated that farmers are experiencing reduced number of rainy days, extended summers and short winters than earlier. Some new insect-pests and weeds have emerged in the past two decades. Moderate to high soil sodicity (pH2 8.4-10.1), waterlogging in low-lying lands in canal commands and acute labour shortages due to increased migration to cities and employment opportunities under MGNREGA scheme have considerably increased the vulnerability of these farmers. Furthermore, weak policy support and the poor access to the recommended technologies seem to have further decreased their adaptive capacity as evident from very low rice yields (1.8-3.5 q ha1). As income from rice crop is a major source of livelihood to them, studied farmers are increasingly adopting the sanda method of double rice transplanting to enhance the resilience of the rice agro-ecosystems. In this method, farmers broadcast only about a fifth (6-8 kg ha-1) of the recommended seed rate (30-40 kg ha-1) in puddled fields around mid-May using tube well water. After about 25 days (i.e ., around 15th June), the seedlings are uprooted and transplanted in another field where they are grown for about 20 days (5-10 July). About 50-55 days old seedlings are then moved to the main fields. Rice crop grown using sanda technique withstands extended dry spells in the uplands and prolonged water inundation in the low-lying fields. Almost negligible incidence of pests and diseases ensures little or virtually no use of pesticides. Compared with the puddled transplanted rice, sanda method provides about 20-25% higher grain yield. This community-knowledge, which probably originated in the eastern parts of India, has gradually spread to the eastern UP via migrant labourers from Bihar and West Bengal. This method of rice growing represents a characteristic example of autonomous adaptation to alleviate the risks caused by multiple stressors. Notably, this method has now become a part of the agricultural contingency plan of the State Government. It is possible that sanda technique may be of immense use in rice-wheat system of north-western India where a multitude of problems including widespread land degradation, water scarcity, pest and disease outbreaks and declining crop yields have caused immense harm. |
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Date |
2017-06-27T08:59:45Z
2017-06-27T08:59:45Z 2017-01 |
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Type |
Other
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Identifier |
Singh, R.K., Singh, Anshuman, Upadhyay,A., Goswami, A., Parvender, Kumar, S., Thimmappa, K. and Sharma, D.K. 2017. Practice of double transplanting (Sanda method) in rice: small holder farmers’ adaptation to multiple stressors in a sub-humid climate. In: Abstracts 5th National Seminar Climate Resilient Saline Agriculture: Sustaining Livelihood Security held during 21-23 January 2017 at SKRAU, Bikaner, Rajasthan. p. 113.
http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/4486 |
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Language |
English
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Publisher |
Indian Society of Soil Salinity and Water Quality, Karnal
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