LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT RAIPALLI-2 (4E6E2D1c) MICROWATERSHED Humnabad Taluk, Bidar District, Karnataka

Abstract

The land resource inventory of Raipalli-2 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 microwartershed. The present study covers an area of 847 ha in Raipalli-2 microwatershed in Humnabad taluk of Bidar district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought-prone with an average annual rainfall of 811 mm of which about 609 mm is received during south–west monsoon, 109 mm during north-east and the remaining 93 mm during the rest of the year. About 97 per cent area is covered by soils and 3 per cent by rock lands. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 9 soil series and 20 soil phases (management units) and 6 land use classes.  The length of crop growing period is about 150 days starting from the 1st week of June to 2nd 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 in the microwatershed is suitable for agriculture and 20 per cent is not suitable for agriculture.  About 31 per cent of the soils are moderately deep to very deep (75- 150 cm), 54 per cent are shallow to very shallow (25-50 cm) and 12 per cent moderately shallow (50-75 cm) soils.  Entire area of the microwatershed is clayey at the surface.  About 92 per cent of the area has non-gravelly soils and 5 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel).  About 17 per cent of the area has soils that are very high (>200mm/m) in available water capacity, 4 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m) and about 76 per cent low (50- 100 mm/m) and very low (<50 mm/m).  About 73 per cent of the area has very gently sloping (1-3%) and about 24 per cent area is nearly level (0-1%) lands.  An area of about 43 per cent has soils that are slightly eroded (e1), 32 per cent moderately eroded (e2) and 22 per cent severely eroded (e3).  An area of about 56 per cent has soils that are slightly acid (pH 6.0 to 6.5), 13 per cent moderately acid (pH 5.5-6.0), about 13 per cent is neutral (pH 6.5-7.3) and about 15 per cent area is slightly to moderately alkaline soils (pH 7.3-8.4).  The Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the soils are dominantly <2 dsm-1indicating that the soils are non-saline.  Available organic carbon is high (>0.75%) in the entire microwatershed area.  Major area of 83 per cent has soils that are low (<23 kg/ha), 11 per cent medium (23-57 kg/ha) and high (>57 kg/ha) in about 3 per cent area in available phosphorus.  About 17 per cent area is low (<145 kg/ha), 68 per cent medium (145-337 kg/ha) and 12 per cent high (>337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  An entire area is low (<10 ppm) in available sulphur.  Available boron is low (<0.5 ppm) in about 20 per cent area, 69 per cent medium (0.5-1.0 ppm) and 8 per cent is high (>1.0 ppm) in available boron  Entire area is sufficient (>4.5 ppm) in iron.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  About 35 per cent area has soils that are deficient (<0.6 ppm) in available zinc and 62 per cent sufficient (>0.6 ppm).  The land suitability for 19 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 146(17) 179 (21) Sapota - 80(9) Maize - 179 (21) Jackfruit 32 (4) 39 (5) Red gram - 325 (38) Jamun 32 (4) 185(22) Sunflower 146(17) 179 (21) Musambi - 218 (35) Cotton 146(17) 179 (21) Lime - 218 (35) Sugarcane - 179 (21) Cashew - 179 (21) Soybean 146(17) 218(26) Custard apple 80 (9) 284 (34) Bengalgram 146(17) 180 (21) Amla 80 (9) 284 (34) Guava - 80 (9) Tamarind 32(4) 185 (22) Mango - 32 (4) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the six 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 maintaining the ecological balance in 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 that would help in supplementing the farm income, provide fodder and fuel and generate lot of biomass. This would help 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: Raipalli-2 micro-watershed (Raipalli sub-watershed, Humnabad taluk, Bidar district) is located in between 17037’ – 17040’ North latitudes and 77011’ – 77014’ East longitudes, covering an area of about 404 ha, bounded by Mustari, Ainapur, Kodambal and Chitgoppa 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 the Raipalli-2 micro-watershed (Raipalli subwatershed, Humnabad taluk, Bidar district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 56.3 to 43.8 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age group of 18 to 30 populations is around 56.2 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 81.3 per cent.  Social groups belong to other backward caste is around 80.0 per cent.  Fire wood and liquefied petroleum gas is the source of energy for a cooking among 60.0 per cent.  About 20.0 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system among all the sample households.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 30 per cent of sample households.  Rural migration to urban centre for employment is preventing among 6.3 per cent of farm households.  Women participation in decisions making for agriculture production are among all the households were found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.9 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to marginal and small farmers. The accounted of rainfed land is 77.8 per cent and irrigated land is 22.2 per cent of sample households. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation among 27.1 per cent and agriculture is the main occupation agriculture labour is subsidiary occupation for 29.2 per cent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 18680 per households. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 400000 per household, around 10 per cent of sample farmers having tractor.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 24583 per household; about 67 per cent of household are having livestock.  The average per capita food consumption is around 917.7 grams (2142.2 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition recommendation at 827 gram. Around 40.0 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.26412 per household. Among all sample farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita monthly average expenditure is around Rs.2148. 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. 2558 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 2097167 per year for the total area of 846.77 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs. 6636/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum red gram (Rs. 3480) followed by paddy (Rs. 3430) and sugarcane (Rs.1954).  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 880/ ha/year in paddy.  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 red gram (Rs. 47115), paddy (Rs. 33058) and sugarcane (Rs. 2394). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is red gram (78.0 %) followed by sugarcane (11.2 %) and paddy (10.8 %).  In Raipalli 2 micro watershed, major soils are Madargi (MDG) series is having shallow soil depth covers around 3.5 % of area. On this soil farmers are presently growing redgram. Babulgoan (BGN) soil series are having very deep soil depth covers around 17.3 % of area; the crops are redgram (14.8 %) and sugarcane (85.2 3 %). Bhadrapur (BDP) series is having very shallow soil depth covers around 16.4 % of area; Kadambal series is having shallow soil depth cover around 30.6 % and Mustari series is having moderately shallow soil depth cover around 11.7 % of area; the crop is redgram. Udwah series is having moderately deep soil depth cover around 5.6% of area major crop are paddy.  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for redgram range between is Rs. 34389/ha in MST soil (with BCR of 1.31) and Rs. 24214/ha in KDM soil (with BCR of 1.12).  In paddy cost of cultivation in DGR soil is Rs. 32138/ha (with BCR of 1.14) and sugarcane cost of cultivation in BGN soil is Rs. 7166/ha (with BCR of 1.27).  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 redgram (9.1 to 46.4 %), sugarcane (99.2 %) and paddy (69.6 %)