Development of watershed programme for environment and agriculture sustainability in sat region, Central India Singh K.N.1,*, Rajawat B.S.2, Dahate A.3, Liansangpuii4 1ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute, Jhansi-284 003, Uttar Pradesh, India 2Bundelkhand University, Jhansi-284 003, Uttar Pradesh, India 3Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur-492 012, Chhattisgarh, India 4Department of Agricultural Engineering, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, Uttar Pradesh, India *Corresponding Author: K.N. Singh, Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur-492 012, Chhattisgarh, India, Email: singhkarunanidhan@gmail.com
Online published on 27 October, 2023. Abstract Background Study has been undertaken in SAT (Semi-arid tropics) region located between 23° 8'- 26° 30' latitude and 78°11'- 81°30' longitude with an altitude varying from 230 to 280 m above mean sea level (MSL), Central India for assessing the impact after interventions of natural resource management (NRM) under watershed development programme. Agricultural productivity of Semiarid tropics oscillates between 0.5 and 2.0 ton ha-1 with an average of one ton per ha (Rockstrom et al., 2010; Wani et al., 2011a, 2011b). The main objectives of this study are to establish agroforestry based crop cultivation which provides nutritional food as well as transform the mankind's living status and also supports the doubling farmer's income goal without associated ecological harm. Methods To evaluate the economic feasibility and crop productivity along with agroforestry was worked out on the basis of survey and sampling. To get uniform samples of crops from cultivated fields some specific area selected (1 m × 1 m size) and get about 80 crop samples for measurements from whole watershed. All data has been collected through survey of 40 % households of watershed and then all these data subjected to statistical analysis in the laboratory. To minimize the problem and rejuvenate the water body, water resource development plan helps in identify the available sources so that appropriate and effective with durable solutions can be formulated. The net return of crop cultivated was calculated by subtracting the cost of cultivation incurred from sowing to harvesting, for each crop from the gross return and then benefit-cost ratio was estimated for further improvement or scaled up and livelihood security of former. Result The study has revealed that after watershed interventions and agroforestry based Crop cultivation, water level increased 2-6 m, crop production increased by 45-47%, cropping intensity increased 97-98% from 44-46% and migration decreased by 70-72%. During both season, the expenses on irrigation and labour will decrease, crop productivity will improve and benefit-cost ratio increased. Nutrition based food production provided the base for food security as it is a key determination of food availability. Top Keywords Crop cultivation, Human population, NRM, SAT region. Top |