Kharif Conference 2012

1. Water Management & Dryland Farming (Group-II) Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Punjab Kharif Conference 2012

2. Dryland Farming is in the grip of two monsters Market Monsoon

3. DRYLAND/RAINFED AGRICULTURE • Net Sown Area: 141m.ha • Net Irrig. Area: 63 m.ha. • Rainfed Area: 78 m.ha. (mostly arid, semi-arid & sub-humid) • Irrigated Areas: 55% of foodgrain • Rainfed Areas: 45% of foodgrain

4. High Risk-Low Yield Business Erratic Rainfall, Floods, Droughts, Inadequate Irrigation Infrastructure NATURAL High Risk Land Degradation, Poor Soil Fertility Less Investment in Inputs SOCI O-ECONOMIC Small Land Holdings, Poor Farmers Low Productivity Lower Credit off take Under developed Market Infrastructure, Poor Post Harvest Management Poor Socio-Economic growth, Illiteracy, Poverty

5. Status of irrigation Development

6. STATE SPECIFIC ISSUES

7. SUGGESTIONS MADE BY STATE PUNJAB • Assured procurement of low water requiring crops. • Water logged area reclamation in SW Punjab • On farm Water management • Artificial recharge of ground water. • R&D for low water requiring crops. • Management of Ghaggar river-Channelising. • Coverage under relief in drought affected areas ANDHRA PRADESH: • Promotion of sprinkler and drip irrigation • Addl. Storage capacity for seeds & grains in rural areas. • Construction of rock filled dams /sunken ponds/percolation tanks at tail ends. • Procurement of pulses by Govt. agencies. • Flexibility in use of MGNREGA in dryland farms

8. CONT… MAHARASTRA • Evolving a Farmer Friendly Crop Insurance Scheme • Cost effective Soil and water conservation measures • Holistic and integrated approach for watershed development. • Enhancing use of traditional knowledge and Technologies particularly for rainfed Agriculture • Producer to consumer marketing chain • Linking of the farmers with Industries particularly processing industries • Convergence of developmental programmes • Use of machineries in MGNREGA & extending its ambit to all dryland farmers

9. CONT… JAMMU & KASHMIR • Support for Deep tube wells • Availability of stress tolerant crop varieties particularly pulses • Reclamation of cultivable wasteland • Adequate assistance of water harvesting & micro irrigation • Farm mechanization suitable for hilly areas • Convergence & integration of developmental programmes ASSAM • Promotion of nontraditional crops like medicinal plants • Focus on green manuring through suitable crop rotation • Adequate water harvesting and on-farm water management

10. CONT… JAMMU & KASHMIR • Support for Deep tube wells • Availability of stress tolerant crop varieties particularly pulses • Reclamation of cultivable wasteland • Adequate assistance of water harvesting & micro irrigation • Farm mechanization suitable for hilly areas • Convergence & integration of developmental programmes CHHATISHGARH • Energisation of irrigation pumps • Establishment of National level research institutes in agriculture sector • More coverage under watershed development

11. Cont.. NAGALAND • Relaxation of NFSM Guidelines to include the state • Promotion of organic farming • Expansion of Watershed development • Control of shifting cultivation • Promotion of commercial crops like tea in jhoom areas

12. STATE INITIATIVES Punjab: • Enforcement of Sub Soil Water Act 2009 • Artificial ground water recharge • Adoption of resource conservation technologies Andhra Pradesh: • Loan eligibility card distributed and Crop loan extended for tenant farmers as well • introduction of intercropping- ground nut +redgram and border cropping • Adoption of tree based farming in dryland like mango, amla, guava • Promotion of SRI cultivation • Promotion of direct seeding using Fibre body drum seeders • Farm ponds with HDPE lining to provide life saving irrigation to standing crops

13. Cont… Maharashtra • FFS & cyber extension • Water harvesting for protective irrigation • Formulation of SHGs linking with FFS • End to end project approach through convergence • Crop diversification to dryland horticulture, agro forestry and medicinal plants • Promotion of contract farming • Promoting Producers’ Companies Assam: • Popularizing less water consuming crops • Popularizing green manuring • Focus on runoff management • Popularizing zero tillage in rabi vegetables

14. Cont.. Chhattisgarh • Introduction of stress tolerant short duration paddy variety • Assistance for energization of irrigation pumps • Replacement of upland rice with pulses/maize/millets • Thrust on line sowing for rice & green manuring • Water harvesting J&K • Measures adopted for water resource development • Emphasis on water use effeciency • Promotion of farm mechanization Nagaland • Development of Jhoom land • Large scale watershed development

15. RECOMMENDATION OF GROUP • Larger coverage under Micro-Irrigation • Adoption of low External input Sustainable Agriculture • Evolving a Farmers’ friendly crop insurance scheme • More priority on water harvesting & In-situ water conservation promotion • Reforms in APMC Act to be explored by corporate sector: Direct Marketing, Private Markets, Contract farming • Creation of Network of farmers’ SHGs. • Contract farming through Public - Private - Partnership. • Credit disbursal only through viable end - to - end projects • Enhancement of subsidy on water carrying pipes and rotovators

16. Cont… • Additional storage capacity in rural areas for seeds and produce • Seed production in villages • Incentivizing rainfed farmers for growing cereals under farming system • More emphasis farm mechanization • Convergence of developmental programmes • Crop planning vis-a vis water availability • Long term documentation of change in cropping pattern

17. Thanks