ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT

ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTRODUCTION OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT

Abstract:

This paper is intended to show the difference in agriculture technology before and after the introduction of watershed management project in the Pali village of Dehradun. There was change in time disposition pattern of the farmers, land-use pattern, agriculture tools use, cash crop production and fruits trees. The forest cover and irrigated land has been increased. Introduction of improved type of breed cattle helped the villagers in increasing the milk production. After the introduction of fodder grasses and soil conservation in the village, the soil erosion reduced. The fuel wood dependency on the forest reduced due to introduction of bio-gass plant by project authority in the village .All the factors adopted by the farmers in the village helped them to increase the crop production and improve their economic condition after the introduction of the project in the village.
Introduction:

India has about 14.8 crore ha of land under rain-fed farming systems. Degradation and denudation of such rain-fed lands is one of the major causes of ecological imbalance in the country. Integrated development of such lands on the principles of watershed management holds the key to ecological health of country, now as a matter of policy the GOI has decided to rehabilate the rain-fed and dry-land areas .
The ultimate objective of watershed management is to develop natural resources base ,sustain its productivity, improve economic status of villagers and endeavor restoration of ecological balance.
To stimulate and promote peoples participation in watershed development project planning, project formulation, implementation, post-project management of project assets.
Village women play important role in farming systems, rearing livestock, fuel-wood and fodder collection, agricultural operations etc. besides house keeping, cooking and household chores. Public participation is incomplete without women’s participation.

Main objectives of Doon valley project are as follows.
1. To stop environmental degradation in Doon valley and to revert this process as for as possible.
2. To involve community participation in planning implementation and each step of management..
3. To make life of local people better and to encourage the participation for management of all natural resources by integrated and multifaceted method.
4. To develop human resources of the area.

Process of sustainable development:

The management of watershed in Doon valley project is based on participation. The village is considered as the basic unit in which community participation is kept at central point for planning implementation and sustainable use of natural resources.

Participating Rural Appraisal (PRA) develops rural plans. This is a participatory action and learning process in which village prepares and maps for development of village by themselves. On the basis of this village plan, annual working plan of the project is prepared. This is anticipated that at the end, watershed management will become program of villagers and project staff will act just as facilitation.
Doon valley project is contributing in the following ways:
1. Management of natural resources on the basis of sustainability.
2. Improvement in living standard of rural communities.
3. Increase in supply and availability of fruits, fuel wood and fodder.
4. Increase in productivity from cattle.
5. Increase in forest cover.
6. Decrease in surface runoff.
7. Conservation of surface water.
8. Increase in sources of minor irrigation and availability of drinking water.
9. Increase in productivity of land and water resources.
10. Encouraging rural communities for self-dependency.
Project authorities are connecting non-governmental origination Mahila Mangal Dal and other voluntary organization in planing and implementation of the project for community participation and different programs of the project, local organization such as Gramya Resources Management Association (GARIMA) users group and Samaj Sahyata Samuh are also encouraged.
Introduction of village:
Pali Majola is situated in the north of Bhogpur and has 41.238ha area. This village falls in development block Doiwala, Thesil-Dehradun and micro-watershed is Peronapani of Rishikesh division in Distt. Dehradun. It has total population of 129 people and consists of 33 men, 31 women, 43 boys and 22 girls.
It has 18ha forest area, 16.64ha agriculture area, 3.44ha orchard land and 2 ha barren land or wasteland. The boundaries of village are made in east Kuarsi, in west Nanekot, in north Khaldhan and in south Bhogpur.
Methodology:
1. Baseline studies:
Baseline studies consist of a description of those aspects of the physical, biological and social environment, which could be affected by a proposed development. They provide information as before project conditions that used to be established for the identification and prediction of impacts that could be made.
Baseline data was collected from sub project office of Rishikesh Dimsia. This data provided important ‘before project’ information about the village.
2. Survey of the village:
Village complex was surveyed for getting ‘after project’ information about the village. People were interviewed for getting a clean picture of the changes that have occurred in the village. Other tools were also used while in survey process. To survey the village the parametric factors are divided into three broad groups.

Result & Discussion:
The village has been variously affected by the activities undertaken by project authorities. These impacts were studied by collection of data.
Impact studied through data collection:

First, we discuss the impact observed while collection of data about the conditions before and after project implementation.

1. Traditional skill:
The traditional skill is important factor to see the skill of the farmers in the village.

Table-1: Traditional skill

S.No. Skill Households(no.)
Before project After project
1 Black smith 1 1
2 Carpenter 1 1
3 Goldsmith - -
4 Tailor 1 1
After introduction of the project there was no change in the traditional skill of the farmers(Table-1).
2. Time Disposition pattern
Before Project
(a) Collection of fuel and fodder 3-6 hrs/day
(b) Agriculture (fuel ploughing only) (Avg. 2-3 hrs/day)
(c) Collecting drinking water (Avg. 1 hr/day)
(d) Upkeeping of animals [Avg. 1 hr/ day)

After project:
Day to day life has hardly been affected by the project. However, in case of fuel and fodder, compared to previous condition when round the year villagers had to go far away, now they can collect grasses and fodder grown within or in the vicinity of the village. Many nutritious grasses and fodder species are being planted there.

3. Agriculture:

Table-2: Different land uses
Land type 1997 (ha) 2000 (ha)
Irrigated 2.00 10.00
Unirrigated 14.64 6.64
Orchard 3.44 20.44
Barren 2.00 1.00
Civil land 22.13 6.13
Reserve forest 18.00 20.00


The irrigated, orchard and reserve forestland increase barren, unirrigated and civil land reduces after introduction of project( Table-2).
Table-3: Different types of Crop
Land Type Kharif Rabi Zaid
Irrigated Paddy Wheat Maize
Unirrigated Maize, Mandua, Pulses Wheat

Crop rotation has not been affected by the project Table-3).

Households using new agriculture practices/technologies
Table-4: Agricultural tools
S.No. Item Before project After Project
1. Line sowing - -
2. Sickle - -
3. Thresher - 1
4. Green manure - -
5. Fertilizer - 21
6. HYV 10 20
After introduction of the project there was significant difference in agricultural tools (Table-4).
4. Cash crop

There are hardly any cash crop grown. People grow these crops but these crops are consumed wholly by the people of the village with no significant income to the village. Project has not done much in this direction except motivating people to adopt growing cash crops.

5. Irrigation:
Almost all of the irrigated area is irrigated by narrow open canal called ‘Guls’. Before Project, there was a total length of 3 km. of Kachcha guls. The kachcha guls have been made pucca by project authorities. Till the date when data was collected, 2-km. Of this had been converted into pucca guls. Various barsati tanks have been constructed. Runoff harvesting tanks have been constructed. Old tanks have been repaired.

Field trails of various crops such as rapeseed, soybean, lintel, pea etc. were conducted. This has raised enthusiasm among villagers. Various agricultural implements have been distributed among villagers such as winnowing fan, spray 7 machine and plows etc. 4 compost pits have been established in the village. Various improved grass varieties have been planted o terraces.

6. Horticulture
Fruits trees on homestead

Before Project-152 (mango, lemon, orange)
After Project- Hundreds of fruit plants have been distributed among villagers; with about 30% success rate. Now people have begun growing jackfruit, banana, peach, plum, walnut etc.
Before project die back and fungal diseases affected most of the fruit trees. But now fungicides etc. are being used by villagers, which is showing improvement. But still there is no sighting of large-scale fruit production. There are no well-established orchards even after the project implementation. Whatever fruits are produced, are consumed by the villagers.

But a progress can be anticipated as the plants, which have been planted have not reached production stage.

Vegetable crops bare grown in the village, but only for domestic use. Negligible amount of vegetables is sold in the market.

7. Forestry:
As forestry is a long-term investment, instantaneous results are difficult to quantity. Still promising progress is being made, in and around village. Seedlings are being distributed among the villagers. Various species are being encouraged. These are bamboos, mulberry, pilkhan, toon, khair, jamun, ber, etc.

Civil soyam forest has plantation area of reserve forest, which is around 18ha.

Benefits drawn from the forest are fuel, fodder and bamboos for basket making. However due to project activities and vigorous plantation works, dependency on reserve forest is decreasing

A. Per day average consumption of fodder by

Cow : 26 kg
Buffalo : 30 kg
Calf : 12Kg

B. Per day average milk production

Before project: Cow : 3 litre/day
Buffalo : 6 litre/day
After project: Same as before

C. Average selling of milk and milk products: 4.00 litre/day/family

D. No. of farmers growing green fodder:

Before Project : Nil
After Project : 15

E. Households having chaff cutters(No.):

Before Project : Nil
After Project : 18


8. Soil conservation:

Before Project: Various drains/gadheras were causing large amount of soil erosion, in and around the village. These are Mahadev Khala and Bangali Khala. Erosion was of E3 class.

After Project: A vigorous campaigning was carried out for soil conservation. The soil conservation practices that have been taken in use are gully plugging, construction of brushwood check dams, loose stone check dams, crate wire dams, improving conditions of agricultural terraces and construction of masonry dams. Cuttings of Rambans have been planted along water channels. Soil conservation measures along riverbanks have also been undertaken. Now soil has settled along these drains and rich vegetation is coming on this soil. Erosion has come down to E1 Class.

9. Energy conservation:
Table-5:Fuel consumption table according to seasons
Season 1997 (kg) 2000 (Kg)
Summer 8.0 4.0
Rain 10.0 7.0
Winter 21.6 15.1
Total 39.6 26.1

Table-5 shows the fuel consumption of the villagers according to season and fuel consumption have been reduced because now the farmers are using the bio-gass plants.

As it is perceived that villagers has drawn many benefits from this project. Progress has been achieved in all components of the project, which are forestry, energy conservation, horticulture, animal husbandry, agriculture, and minor irrigation. People have been involved in project activities for utilisation of manpower of the village as well as for imparting the feeling of oneness among them.
Agriculture of the village is also getting improved day by day. Water harvesting tanks and improved guls are nourishing crops efficiently. Area under commercial crops is increasing. Number of household using Fertilisers and high yield varieties is also increasing. Area under irrigation got increased, credit to the project implementation. Barren land is reclaimed.
Horticulture in the area is taking giant leaps. Previously the numbers of fruit trees were very less. Now fruit trees of various varieties have been planted. Disease affected trees have been treated by pesticides and fungicides. But, newly planted trees yet to bear fruits. The production is anticipated to be good in the future.

Community forestry is getting a boost by the project. Hundreds of trees of domestic and commercial purpose are being planted within or in the vicinity of the village. Reducing pressure on the reserved forest will show its effect in the coming year.

References:
Anon.1997.Areport from Directorate of Watershed Management .Indira Nagar Colony, Dehradun, U.P.
Anon.1997.village Plan of Pali Vilage, Doon Valley Integrated Watershed management Project Rishikesh division from Director of Watershed Management, Dehradun,U.P.
Mukrjee.N. 1993. Participatory Rural Appraisal: Methodology and Application. New Delhi.