LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GUDIGERI-4 (4D4A2N2d) MICRO WATERSHED Alavandi Hobli, Koppal Taluk and District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Gudigeri-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 boundries. The soil map shows the geographic distribution and extent, characterstics, classification, behaviour and use potentials of the soils in the microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 552 ha in Koppal taluk and district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought - prone with an average annual rainfall of 662 mm, of which about 424 mm is received during south –west monsoon, 161 mm during north-east and the remaining 77 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 98 per cent is covered by soils, two per cent by waterbodies. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 9 soil series and 16 soil phases (management units) and 6 land use classes.  The length of crop growing period is 150 cm).  Entire area has clayey soils at the surface.  About 48 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils, 41 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 8 per cent very gravelly (35- 60% gravel) soils.  About 6 per cent area is low (51-100 mm/m), 23 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and 69 per cent very high (>200mm/m) in available water capacity.  Entire area has very gently sloping (1-3%) lands.  About 12 per cent area is slightly eroded and about 86 per cent area is moderately eroded (e2) lands.  Entire area is strongly alkaline (pH 8.4 to 9.0) to very strongly alkaline (pH>9.0) in soil reaction.  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  Organic carbon is low (<0.5%) in about 51 per cent, 40 per cent of the soils are medium (0.5-0.75%) and 6 per cent of the soils are high (>0.75%) in organic carbon.  Entire area is low in available phosphorus.  Major area of about 91 per cent has high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium and a small area of about 6 per cent is medium (145-337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is low (<10 ppm) in 52 per cent area, medium (10-20 ppm) in about 12 per cent area and about 34 per cent area is high (>20 ppm).  Available boron is low (0.5 ppm) in about 80 per cent area and medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) in 18 per cent area.  Available iron is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in the entire area.  Available zinc is deficient (<0.6 ppm) in major area of about 88 per cent and sufficient in 10 per cent area.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  The land suitability for 24 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 266 (48) 271 (49%) Guava - - Maize - - Jackfruit - - Bajra - - Jamun 379 (69%) Groundnut - 27 (5%) Musambi 252(46%) 255 (46%) Sunflower 252 (46%) 255 (46%) Lime 252(46%) 255 (46%) Chilli - - Cashew - - Tomato - - Custard apple 266 (48) 271 (49) Drumstick - 507 (92%) Amla 536 (97%) Mulberry - 536 (97%) Tamarind 379 (69%) Mango - 127 (23%) Marigold 536 (97%) Sapota - - Chrysanthemum 536 (97%) Pomegranate 508 (92%) Jasmine 29 (5%) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 6 identified LUCs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fodder, fibre and other horticulture crops.  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 which inturn would help in maintaining the ecological balance and contribute 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: The Gudigeri-4 micro-watershed is located in between 15018’ – 15020’ North latitudes and 75055’ – 75057’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 552.30 and bounded by Kavalura, and Gudigeri villages in Koppal taluk and district. It falls under Agro Ecological Region (AER)–3: (Deccan plateau, hot arid ecosubregion) Karnataka Plateau (Rayalseema as inclusion), hot arid ESR with deep loamy and clayey mixed red and black soils, low to medium AWC and LGP 60-90 daysWe 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 for each watershed. Results: We found that Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 54 to 46 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age groups of population is around 47 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 89 per cent.  Wood is the source of energy for a cooking among 80 per cent.  Around 50 % of farmers have taken yeshaswini health cards.  Majority of farm households (75 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employments  Dependence on ration cards through public distribution system is around 83 per cent  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 583 per cent of sample households.  Institutional participation is only 10.7 per cent of sample households.  Rural migration to unban centre for employment is prevent among 17 per cent of farm households.  Women participation is decision making is not found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 3.2 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers.  Agriculture is the main occupation among 52 per cent and agricultural labours is predominant subsidiary occupation for 24 per cent of sample households. 2  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs 7874 per household. Mobile and television are mass popular mass communication media.  The average farm assets values is around 1.01 lakhs, about 17 per cent of sample farmers are owing tractors.  The highest livestock population of bullocks are 16.7 per cent for cultivation of land.  The average per capita food consumption is around 665 grams (1692 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition recommendation at 827 gram. Around 100 per cent of sample farmers are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs 40366 per household. About 50 per cent of farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly expenditure is around Rs 763 per household. 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 8516 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs 4233959 per year for the total area of 552.3 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food production is around Rs 9515/ ha/year Per ha food production services is maximum in sunflower (Rs 10859 /ha) followed by bengal gram (Rs 9404), green gram (Rs 8824/ha) and bajra (Rs 964).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs 673/ ha/year. Per ha fodder production services is maximum in sorghum (Rs 726 /ha) followed by bengal gram (Rs 576 /ha).  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 bajra (Rs 66123) followed by bengal gram (Rs 56627), green gram (Rs 40362), sunflower (Rs 21197) and sorghum (Rs 11071). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is sunflower (32 %) followed by green gram (24 %), sorghum (18 %), bengal gram (15 %) and bajra (5.4 %).  In Gudigeri-4 micro watershed, major soils are Kavalur (KVR) series are having deep soil deep cover around 25 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing green gram (17 %), sunflower (49 %), sorghum (26 %) and bengal gram (8 %). Bardur (BDR) and Kadagathu (KDT) soil series are having very deep soil depth cover around 35 per cent and 22 per cent of area, respectively, major crops grown are bengal gram (25 %), green gram (50 %), sunflower (25 %) and bajra. 3  The total cost of cultivation in study area for bengal gram ranges between Rs. 23449/ha in BDR soil (with BCR of 1.16) and Rs. 17274/ha in KVR soil (with BCR of 2.23).  In maize the cost of cultivation range between Rs 18426/ha in KVR soil (with BCR of 1.92) and Rs. 12619/ha in BDR soil (With BCR of 1.23).  In sunflower the cost of cultivation range between Rs. 16642/ha in BDR soil (with BCR of 1.32) and Rs. 10307/ha in KVR soil (with BCR of 1.08).  In sorghum the cost of cultivation in KVR soil is Rs. 6751/ha (with BCR of 1.08) and Bajra the cost of cultivation in KDT soil is Rs. 13452/ha (with BCR of 1.21). 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 bengal gram (2.9 to 12.7 %), green gram (7.2 to 21.2), sorghum (80.4 %) and sunflower (52.4 to 38.4)