LAND RESOURCE INVENTORY SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF FARM HOUSEHOLDS FOR WATERSHED PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT RANTUR (4D4A3G1e) MICRO WATERSHED Shirahatti Taluk, Gadag District, Karnataka ; Not Available

Abstract

Not Available ; The land resource inventory of Rantur 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 and use potentials of the soils in the microwatershed. The present study covers an area of 670 ha in Shirahatti taluk of Gadag district, Karnataka. The climate is semiarid and categorized as drought prone with an average annual rainfall of 633 mm of which about 363 mm is received during south –west monsoon, 165 mm during north-east and the remaining 105 mm during the rest of the year. An area of about 96 per cent is covered by soils, four per cent by rock lands, water bodies, settlements and others. The salient findings from the land resource inventory are summarized briefly below.  The soils belong to 18 soil series and 46 soil phases (management units) and 9 land management units.  The length of crop growing period is about 150 days starting from the 3rd week of June to 1st 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 major agricultural and horticultural crops were assessed and maps showing the degree of suitability along with constraints were generated.  About 96 per cent area is suitable for agriculture and 4% is not suitable for agriculture.  About 58 per cent of the soils are moderately shallow (50-75 cm) to shallow (25- 50 cm) and about 38 per cent are moderately deep to very deep soils.  About 56 per cent of the area has loamy soils, 31 per cent clayey soils and 9 per cent sandy soils has at the surface.  About 12 per cent of the area has non-gravelly, 57 per cent gravelly soils (15-35 % gravel) and 27 per cent very gravelly (35- 60%) to extremely gravelly (60-80%) soils.  About 29 per cent medium (101-150 mm/m), 67 per cent low (51-100 mm/m) to very low (0.75%) and low (337 kg/ha) in available potassium.  Available sulphur is medium (10-20 ppm) in about 57 per cent area, 8 per cent high (>20ppm) and about 31 per cent area is low (1.0 ppm) in <1 per cent area.  Available iron is deficient in about 38 per cent and sufficient in 58 per cent area.  Available zinc is deficient in about 89 per cent area and sufficient in 7 per cent area.  Available manganese and copper are sufficient in all the soils.  The land suitability for 23 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, 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) Moderat ely suitable (S2) Sorghum 118 (18) 204 (30) Sapota 57 (8) 160 (24) Maize 96 (14) 204(30) Jackfruit 7 (1) 112 (17) Cotton 119(18) 203(30) Jamun 7 (1) 112(17) Sunflower 119 (18) 168(25) Musambi 7 (1) 112(17) Onion 141 (21) 159(24) Lime 7 (1) 112(17) Groundnut 113 (17) 365(54) Cashew 7 (1) 174 (26) Chilli 136 (20) 186(28) Custard apple 119 (18) 420(62) Sugarcane 119 (18) 111(17) Amla 119(18) 420 (62) Pomegranate 119 (18) 119 (18) Tamarind 7(1) 112(17) Tomato 190 (22) 191(28) Marigold 190 (28) 194 (29) Guava 70 (10) 140 (21) Chrysanthemu m 190 (28) 194 (29) Mango 7 (1) 112(17) Apart from the individual crop suitability, a proposed crop plan has been prepared for the 9 identified LUCs by considering only the highly and moderately suitable lands for different crops and cropping systems with food, fibre and 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 income, provide fodder and fuel and generate lot of biomass. This would help in maintaining an ecological balance and also help in 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: Rantur micro-watershed (Nilogal sub-watershed, Shirahatti taluk, Gadag district) is located in between 1505' – 1507' North latitudes and 75036' – 75039' East longitudes, covering an area of about 670 ha, bounded by Belhatti, Devihal, Chikasavanur and Machinahalli villages with an length of growing period (LGP) 150- 180 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 Rantur micro-watershed (Nilogal subwatershed, Shirahatti taluk, Gadag district) are presented here. Social Indicators;  Male and female ratio is 55.6 to 44.4 per cent to the total sample population.  Younger age 18 to 50 years group of population is around 31.1 per cent to the total population.  Literacy population is around 80 per cent.  Social groups belong to other backward caste (OBC) is around 70 per cent.  Fire wood is the source of energy for a cooking among all sample households.  About 60 per cent of households have a yashaswini health card.  Majority of farm households (60 %) are having MGNREGA card for rural employment.  Dependence on ration cards for food grains through public distribution system among the all sample households.  Swach bharath program providing closed toilet facilities around 90 per cent of sample households.  Women participation in decision making for agriculture production of households was found. Economic Indicators;  The average land holding is 1.26 ha indicates that majority of farm households are belong to small and medium farmers. The dry land of 76.3 % and irrigated land 23.7 % of total cultivated land area among the sample farmers. 2  Agriculture is the main occupation among 33.3 per cent and agriculture is the main and agriculture labour is the subsidiary occupation around 62.2 percent of sample households.  The average value of domestic assets is around Rs. 15759 per household. Mobile and television are popular media mass communication.  The average value of farm assets is around Rs. 169500 per household, about 20 per cent of sample farmers having sprayer.  The average value of livestock is around Rs. 8163 per household; about 37.5 per cent of household are having bullocks.  The average per capita food consumption is around 808.9 grams (1759.5 kilo calories) against national institute of nutrition (NIN) recommendation at 60 gram. Around 40 per cent of sample households are consuming less than the NIN recommendation.  The annual average income is around Rs.1113 per household. Among the all sample farm households are below poverty line.  The per capita average monthly expenditure is around Rs.1358. 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. 609 per ha/year. The total cost of annual soil nutrients is around Rs. 392197 per year for the total area of 670.28 ha.  The average value of ecosystem service for food grain production is around Rs 13035/ ha/year. Per hectare food grain production services is maximum in sorghum (Rs.7497) followed by onion (Rs.5348), sunflower (Rs. 3663), maize (Rs. 1285) and red gram is negative returns.  The average value of ecosystem service for fodder production is around Rs. 1654/ ha/year. Per hectare fodder production services is maximum in maize (Rs. 3862) followed by sorghum (Rs. 656).  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 redgram (Rs. 61682) followed by sorghum (Rs. 35290), maize (Rs. 26373), sunflower (Rs. 24777) and onion (Rs.15676). Economic Land Evaluation;  The major cropping pattern is maize (67.5 %) followed by onion (12.9 %), Sorghum (10.1 %) and sunflower (9.5 %).  In Rantur Microwatershed, major soil is Tammmadahalli (TDH) series is having moderately shallow soil depth cover around 3.91 % of area. On this soil 3 farmers are presently growing maize (78.5 %) and sunflower (21.5 %). Chikkamegeri (CKM) are also having moderately deep soil depth cover 2.49 % of area, and the crop is maize (100 %). Gollarahatti (GHT) soil series having moderately deep soil depth cover around 3.82 % of areas, crop is red gram. Hooradahalli (HDH) soil series having moderately deep soil depth cover around 2.81 % of area, crop is bajra maize. Kanchikere (KKR) soil series are having moderately deep soil depth cover around 8.09 % of area; the major crop is growing sorghum. Kumchahalli (KMH) soil series are having deep soil depth covers around 9.39 % of area, the major crop grown is maize. Vaddarahalli (VDH) soil series having deep soil depth cover 7.37 % of areas; crop is maize. Muradi (MRD) soil series having very deep soil depth cover 1.07 % of areas; crop is maize.  The total cost of cultivation and benefit cost ratio (BCR) in study area for maize ranges between Rs. 46647/ha in VDH soil (with BCR of 1.05) and Rs. 13567/ha in THD soil (with BCR of 1.45).  In sunflower the cost of cultivation in TDH soil is Rs 19892/ha (with of 1.18).  In red gram the cost of cultivation in GHT soil is Rs. 63090/ha (with BCR of 0.99).  In sorghum the cost of cultivation in KKR soil is Rs.15659/ha (with BCR of 1.52) and onion the cost of cultivation in MRD soil is Rs 23469/ha (with BCR of 1.23).  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. 4  By adopting recommended package of practices by following the soil test fertiliser recommendation, there is scope to increase yield in Maize (61.3 to 83.6 %), onion (76.4 %), red gram (7.1 %), sunflower (54.8 %), sorghum (58.7 %). ; Watershed Development Department, Government of Karnataka (World Bank Funded) Sujala –III Project