Rainfed Agriculture: An Evolving Approach for Inclusive Growth of Rainfed Areas

Ravindra ARevitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network

(RRA-Network) www.wassan.org

THE STORY OF GREEN REVOLUTION . .

Productivity gradient in rice (t / ha)

Poverty Clusters

5

Irrigated Lands

Fundamental Principles of GR:

• Intensive irrigation in select well-endowed areas

• Few Crops : Rice & Wheat• HYVs – research back up• Assured Price & procurement• Produce surplus food• Distribute across the country

• SEEDS • Fertilizers• Pesticides/ herbicides• Machines

Premises of Agriculture Policy and investments in India :

1. Input-response2. Intensive inputs3. Well-endowed areas

(water/ soils / topography)4. High productivity &

surplus generation

Seeds Fertilisers

Extension

Creating Demand

Price Support

Irrigation

Labour

Machinery

Research Industry

Transport

Storage

Credit

Energy Energy

This has become de facto agriculture policy, even extended to rainfed areas

Seeds Fertilisers

ExtensionCreating Demand

Price Support

Irrigation

LabourMachinery

Research Industry

Transport

Storage

Singular agricultural policy ‘naturally’ discriminated the rainfed areas……

What Public Policy Support is Available?

• Undulating• Marginal lands• Low soil depth• High climate variability • interior• Low inputs•…..

The Story of Rainfed Areas!!

WHAT BRINGS DEVELOPMENT OF ‘RAINFED AREAS’ AGRICULTURE..?

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

Gra

in y

ield

(kg/

ha)

Control FYM @ 10 t/ha FYM @ 10 t/ha + 50% NPKFYM @ 10 t/ha + 100% NPK 100% NPK

1 to 2 tons / ha increase if FYM is added..

BIOMASS & AGRONOMY HOLD THE KEY

Performance of SRICost Item SRI Conv entional

Land preparation cost (Rs) 2033 2423

DAP (Kg) 76 58Urea (Kg) 65 56

Inorganic fertilizers cost (Rs) 1369 1166Seed rate (Kg) 2.5 30.5Seed cost (Rs) 54 553Age of the seedlings (days) 14.5 28

Transplantation cost (Rs) 1212 1874Weeding cost (Rs) 666 1174Pest management cost (Rs) 180 185

Wages for harvesting (Rs) 1382 2029Wages for threshing (Rs) 658 946Total cost of cultivation (Rs) 7983 10170Grain yield (Q) 21.5 18.5Gross income (Rs) 22759 20241.5Net income (Rs) 14633 9264B:C 1.95 0.85

REQUIRED INVESTMENTS PRESENT WATER INVESTMENTS

Supplemental irrigation can increase yields by 30 – 40 %

THE BASIS OF RAINFED AREAS’ POLICIES..

Policy Paradigm:

PRODUCE SURPLUS IN WELL-ENDOWED DISTRICTS.Few high response crops in the food systems.

DISTRIBUTE TO ALL DISTRICTS

PRODUCE SURPLUS in local areas. Local production

and sufficiency & Local incomes

GR

Relevant

Protect local- diverse food crops consumption

NRM

Production Systems

Livelihoods

Watershed development

Agriculture Development

Poverty programs

DOES IT WORK?

WHAT TO SUPPORT ? ..

Description Units AverageVolume of Compost bed Cu m 9.73Collection of Biomass (wage days) no of days 9.50Out turn for collection Cu m Per day 1.13Preparation of compost bed (wage days) No. of days 3.33Out turn for preparation of bed Cu m Per day 3.20Watering (wage days) No 10.00Out turn for Watering Cu m Per day 0.97Local Wage rate (in 2006-07) Rs./ day 60.00Cost of compost making Rs 1370.00Total Compost Output expected Cu m 3.21No of person days required for producing one Cum No 7.89

Table : Cost of composting (data for the period December 2006 to April 2007)

Source : work, motion studies carried out by WASSAN as a part of AP Drought Adaptation Initiative.

BRING SOM – into the realm of PUBLIC POLICY

• Addition of soil organic matter is an economic decision of the farmer that weighs– Prices of alternate crops– Input requirements (including labor)– Wage rates– Capital costs– Net incomes

• If soil organic matter is important, it has to be brought into the ambit of ‘Public Policy’.

Irrigation

Irrigation Watershed0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

Investments

Rs. Per ha

• What can the rainfed farmer achieve if such investments are available?

1961–62 1971–72 1981–82 1991–92 2001–02 2005–06 0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

900000

Total major millets Total minor millets Total pulses Paddy Total food grains Groundnut Cotton

19921994

19961998

20002002

20042006

20080

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

cattlebuffalosheepgoats

Trends in Crop AreaTrends in Livestock

District : Anantapur

Conservation

Production

LivelihoodsUnsustainable -

Engineering approach to w/s

Sustainable - Farming Systems

Approach to W/S

Paradigmatic Shifts in Policy :

• Rainfed areas have high growth potential..

• Parity of investments – enhance investments in rainfed agriculture (incl livestock & Fisheries)

• Relevant frame work of public investments / incentives and subsidies