Technology transfer of Good Agricultural practices for profitability,sustainbility and income from rainfed farming in Rangareddy district .(Funded by Society of equity and empowerment Division,DST)

PI- Dr G Nirmala,Senior scientist (Agrl Extension)

Central research Institute for Dryland Agriculture

Hyderabad

What is GAP ? Good agricultural practices are set of principles applied through the food production cycle to produce,safe healthy food taking into consideration economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Soil Management       

1.Avoid mechanical soil tillage to the extent possible. 2. Maintain soil organic matter through the use of soil building crop rotations.3.Follow soil test based fertilizer application.4.Maintain soil cover to minimize erosion by wind and water to avoid contamination with agrochemicals, organic and inorganic fertilizers.

Crop production and protection

1.Select cultivars or varieties on an understanding of their characteristics, its responses to sowing/planting time, quality market acceptability. 2.Devise suitable crop sequences3.Recycling of crop and other organic residues.4.Use of resistant cultivars.5.Practice of IPM techniques6.Keep record of agrochemical use.7.Assure equipment handling and application of agrochemicals complies with established safety and maintenance records

Animal health management

1.To provide adequate clean water.2.To keep livestock, buildings and feed facilities clean and provide adequate, clean bedding under housed conditions.3.Ensure timely vaccination schedule to prevent from diseases.4.Record keeping of all sickness, medical treatments and mortality

On farm processing and storage

1.Store food products under hygiene and appropriate environmental conditions. 2 .Pack food produce for transport in clean and appropriate containers. 3. Maintain accurate records regarding harvest, storage and processing. 

Objectives

To integrate good agricultural practices into the farming systems in rainfed agriculture by the women farmers.

To improve knowledge and skill in GAP through farmers field schools approach

To improve the income and micro enterprising skills through marketing and value addition of produce following food safety practices.

Selection of Area

Rangareddy district-- Pudur mandal -- Kandlapally, Gangupally villages.

Beneficiaries - Women (SC) –practicing agriculture as main occupation

Pudur mandal

Activities undertaken in crop and livestock components

A. Baseline survey on socio economic status, practices with PRA.

B. Soil sampling and testing.

C. Pre-season refresher training .

D. On farm demonstrations.(Kharif season)

E. Animal health camps.

F. Custom Hiring centre with weeders and sprayers

I Problems identified in baseline survey and PRA

Lack of knowledge regarding new hybrids/varieties.•Use of poor quality seedlings for transplantation of vegetables.Low fertilizer use efficiency in terms of application and quantity used.•Lack of knowledge on pests and disease management.

Table-1 Distribution of women beneficiaries according to criteria.

Land possession Education Age

Category Percent Category Percent category Percent

Marginal 63.33 Cannot read and write

80 < 14 0

Small farmer

30 primary 16.66 14-40 46.66

Medium 6.66 High school 3.33 >40 53.33

Large farmer

-

Nutrient Status

Low (%) Medium (%)

High (%)

Available ‘N’ (kg/ha)

70 33.3 -

Available ‘P’ (kg/ha)

83.33 16.66 -

Available ‘K’ (kg/ha)

16.66 23.33 63.33

Organic ‘C’ 50 26.66 23.33Zinc 63.33 33.33 3.33

Distribution of respondents according to soil nutrient status

GAP packages in Maize and pigeonpea intercropping systems

Size of plot : 136 sq.m plot Treatments – 3I plot- FYM(PSB)+ Zinc sulphate (micro nutrient)II plot- FYM + DAP+ Zinc sulphate III plot- Farmers practice

1.Use of bio-fertilizer (PSB) 8 kg PSB/per quintal of FYM

2.Use of Zinc sulphate (Micro nutrient)

Maize crop heavy feeder and micronutrient Zn found critical for cob development

3.Improved varieties LRG-46-Improved pigeonpea for higher yields

4. Use of IPM Pheromone traps and neem oil sprays as prophylactic measure ensured protection against Helicoverpa spps. damge.

Yield Increase in Maize and pigeon pea * intercropping systems

Interventions Yield in q/acre(maiz

e)

Percent Increase

Mean 100 grain wt.

Plot I (FYM-PSB)

28 6.67 25.84

Plot II (FYM+DAP+Znso4)

35 16.67 23.22

Farmers practice

30

* Pigeon pea to be harvested in December,2011

Trench bunding

Soil and Water conservation works by NREGA and drip from NHM

Fodder slips will be planted in these trenches

Soil Management - Organic Manure Application

Bio-fertilizer -PSB

Maize and pigeonpea intercropping systems

Microbial count in PSB treated and untreated plots.

Livestock Interventions

Kandlapally village - 30 Households

5 Buffaloes, 9 Cows, 10 Bullocks 12 goats

A. Vaccination against FMD, Haemorrhage septacemia,blue goats tongue in goats.

B. Mineral mixture supplementation for higher milk production.

C. Construction of housing

D. Vermicomposting unit.

E. Silage unit construction

Pre-season refresher training programmeVermicomposting Nursery management

Exposure visit to fodder research stations.

Objective-2

To improve knowledge and skill in GAP through farmers field schools approach

Educational programme on Crop production and protection –soil mangement,tillage practices, seed treatment,weed management , harvesting and threshing activities.Clean milk production practices – Avoidance of contamination, use of clean vessels,cleaning animals before milking etc.,

Resources: Digital resources- websites of ICAR, CD’s and readout newspapers clippings ,farm magazines.

Objective-3

To improve the income and micro enterprising skills through marketing and value addition of produce following food safety practices. Associated with NGO to work out interventions in this area marketing of vegetables to communites or corporate stores like reliance, echuopals etc.,

Budget in I year Budget sanctioned- Rs 7,09,000 lakhsExpenditure – Rs 320,075 lakhs.Balance- Rs 3,89,501

Recruitment of staff- Project officer -1 ,Project Assistant -1

ConstraintsEquipment to be procured- Soil moisture probe and microscope—

change to food processing equipment for tomato suase etc.,

Travel – Increased to Rs 10,000 as fuel cost increasing

Thank you