Improving Management of Natural Resources for Sustainable Rainfed Agriculture in Ringnodia Micro-watershed

Abstract

The current productivity of rainfed lands in Madhya Pradesh, India is about 1.0 t ha-1 although there is scope to obtain >3 t ha-1. To assess and evaluate the potential of improved soil, water, and nutrient management options through integrated watershed management at Ringnodia in Indore in western Madhya Pradesh, a micro-watershed of 390 ha was delineated. Soybean is a major crop during the rainy season and yield of <1 t ha-1 is obtained in the micro-watershed. Landholdings in the watershed are generally small. The input use is low with little soil and water conservation measures in vogue among farmers. About 30–40% of the total rainfall is lost through runoff, carrying productive soils and nutrients while crops experienced drought stress in the rainy as well as postrainy seasons. With a critical advisory support from scientists, the watershed farmers could augment water storage capacity in the village through construction of percolation/storage tanks and renovation of existing ponds. For safe disposal of water from the watershed, waterways were developed and wire mesh bound boulder structures were constructed to reduce soil loss and runoff. These water storage structures could store up to 30 ha-m water representing about 70% of total runoff from 100 ha cultivated area and thus reduce runoff and soil losses. This increased groundwater recharge, which manifested in increased water table in most wells including the abandoned ones. The scenario analysis suggested various cropping options for enhanced yield with limited irrigation (soybean-wheat) or under rainfed conditions (pigeonpea/sorghum intercrop). Sorghum/pigeonpea intercrop was, however, less popular amongst the farmers. The introduction of extra-short-duration pigeonpea opened avenues for diversification and its adoption is likely to increase. Under rainfed conditions, double cropping could be practiced in two out of three postrainy seasons. Soybean yields increased marginally by gypsum application and also by planting on mini-ridges. The medium-duration chickpea cultivar JG 218 gave higher yield than short-duration cultivars ICCV 2 and ICCC 37 indicating sufficient moisture for the traditional types. Pests were the major yield reducers in soybean and adoption of integrated pest management options nearly tripled soybean yield. In another micro-watershed at the College of Agriculture, Indore interaction between land and water conservation measures and efficient cropping systems was examined. Soybean/pigeonpea strip crop and soybean-wheat systems were more productive than soybean-chickpea and soybean-linseed systems. Chickpea and wheat could easily be established with minimum tillage when planted in moist seed zone at 15 cm depth after the harvest of soybean