Operational Research in Rainfed Agro-ecosystem

106 Pages·2010·44.07 MB·English

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Citation:
G Ravindra Chary, Sreenath Dixit, SPSurve, SKSharma, YPadmalatha, DHRanade,
MSYadav, Sukhwinder Singh, LKMidha, H Mariraju, DBVRamana, PK Mishra,
BVenkateswarlu and KPRVittal (2009).Operational Research inRainfedAgroecosystem
-
Redefiniga new visionthroughActionResearch.AllIndiaCoordinated Research
ProjectforDrylandAgriculture,CRIDAI,CARH, yderabad- 500059, India.pages98
2009
AllRightsReserved
Published by
Director,
Central Research Institute for DrylandAgriculture (ICAR),
Santoshnagar, Hyderabad - 500059, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Phone 040 - 24530177 (0), 24532262
Fax 040 - 2453 1802/ 24530828
Web
http://crida.ernet.in
Printedat: VamsiArtPrintersPvt. Ltd., Hyderabad, Ph:040-23311858website:[email protected]
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Operational Research in Rainfed Agroecosystem
- Redefiniga newvisionthroughActionRese.arch
G Ravindra Chary, Sreenath Dixit, SPSurve, SKSharma,
YPadmalatha, DHRanade, MSYadav,Sukhwinder Singh,LKMidha,
HMariraju, DBVRamana, PKMishra, BVenkateswarlu and KPRVittal
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AllIndiaCoordinatedResearchProjectforDrylandAgriculture
CentralResearchInstitutefor DrylandAgriculture
""3r-rI Hyderabad- 500059,India
ICAR
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I ContributoLU
AllIndia Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture
Project Coordination Unit
G Ravindra Chary, KPRVittal, G Subba Reddy, PKMishra, GRMaruthi Sankar
Centres and ORPs
Anantapur ORP
Y Padmalatha, KBhargavi, G Narayana Swamy
Main Centre TYellamandaReddy,KVeerabhadraRao,SVasundhara,
KrishnaMurthy, BSahadevaReddy,MVijayashankar Babu,
JohnWesley
Arjia ORP SKSharma, AK Kothari, RKSharma
Main Centre MPJain, SNSodani,KCLadha,MLJat
Bangalore ORP HMariraju, BLingappa, PBalkrishnaReddy
Main Centre MASankar,BKRamachandrappa,IndraKumar,HSShivaramu,
Niranjana Murthy
Ballowal-Saunkhri ORP SukhwinderSingh,Parvinder Sheoran, Amit Salaria, GSDheri
Main Centre PSSidhu,SCSharma, SSBawa,Satwinder Singh
Hisar ORP LKMidha, DSRana, ACMalik
Main Centre Milak Raj, RPMor,BSJhorar, IS Yadav,MSSidhpuria,
Indore ORP
DHRanade, GSRawat, MPChourasia, SKChoudhary, SKMujalde
Main Centre MPJain, SKSharma,HSThakur, InduSwaroop,AKArgal,
RASharma
Ranchi ORP MSYadav, Nargis Kumari, Mintu Job
Main Centre DNSingh,DKRusai,Md ParvaizAlam, YogendraPrasad,
ShashiBhushanKumar
Solapur ORP SPSurve, SBThorve, SKUpadhya, DBBhanavase
Main Centre ANDeshpande,JRKadam,DKKathmale, BRNajane
Central Research Institute for DrylandAgriculture
Sreenath DixitYSRamakrishana, BVenkateswarlu, DBVRamana, AKMishra,GGSN Rao, GRKorwar, G Pratibha,
K Kareemulla, KSrinivas Reddy, CARama Rao, CHSrinivasa Rao
Technical Assistance
Devika, UKiran, Anuradha,AGirija, RVVSGKRaju, LSreeramulu
Administrative Assistance
Prema Kumari, SRMeena
GVaraLaxmi, BVijaya Laxmi, MSRAnjaneyulu
II
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Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture
'!P Hyderabad-500059
ICAR
Drl B.Venkateswarlu
Director ~
I8nII
Preface
Concernebdythewideningproductivitgyapbetweenirrigatedandrainfedregionsfollowingthegreenrevolutiont,heIV
FiveYearPlan(1969-74)emphasizetdheurgentneedtofocusonthehithertoneglectedfarmersoftherainfedregionsto
participatmeeaningfulliynthedevelopmenptrocessT.hedroughtsofmidsixtiescatalyzedtheGovt.toinvestondryland
researchsignificantlyT.heIndianCounciolfAgriculturaRlesearch(ICAR)launchedthedrylandresearchprojecatstheAll
IndiaCoordinateRdesearchProjecftorDrylandAgriculture(AICRPDAi)n1970incollaboratiowniththeGovernmenotf
CanadathroughCanadianInternationaDlevelopmenAtgency(CIDA)A. ICRPDAstartedwithfewnetworkcentreswith
coordinatincgellatHyderabadA,ndhraPradeshI.n1985,ProjectDirectoratewasupgradedtothestatusofaninstitute
i.e.Centrailnstitutei.e.CentraRl esearchInstituteforDrylandAgriculture(CRIDAa)tHyderabadtocarryoutbasicand
strategicresearchwhilenetworkresearchunderAICRPDAumbrellacontinuedinappliedandadaptiveresearchmode.
Anothesrignificanmt ilestonewasthestartoftheOperationaRlesearchProject(ORP)in1974-75byAICRPDAatfew
centreswithfurtherexpansionisn1976,1980and1984tototalofeightcentersT.heconceptofOperationaRlesearch
Projec(tORP)wasatrustedfeedbacktotheresearchsystemonadoptabilitoyfdrylandtechnologiebsyfarmersasawing
toselectedcentreswithaCIDAfinancialsupport.ORPwasrecommendeadsanintegralpartoftheexistingdryland
researchcenterwiththespecificobjectivesofORPstotest,adoptanddemonstrattehenewagriculturatelchnologieosn
farmersf'ieldsinawholevillageorinaclusteroffewcontiguouvsillagesw!atershedareas,toidentifytheconstraintbsoth
technologicaalndsocio-economwichicharebarrierstorapidchangea;ndtodemonstratgeroupactionasamethodof
popularizinmgodemtechnologieastafasterrate.ORPwithitsfeedbackstrategycanhaveastronginfluenceonmaintaining
arelevanrtesearchprogram.
Infuture,nearly45-50%ofthetotalcultivableareawillremainraindependentp,ercapitalandavailabilitiyslikelytogo
downtolessthan0.5haby2025resultinginoperationahloldingsinmajorityoftherainfedregionsturninguneconomical.
Furtherc,limatevariabilityandnaturarlesourcedegradatioinssuesn,eedfor increasinwgaterp.roductivitayndsustaining
thelivelihoodosftherainfedfarmersn,ecessitataeparadigmshiftintheapproachofORPs.Considerintgheyieldgaps
betweenresearchstationso,nfarmtrialsandfarmerfields,thereisanamplescopeforenhancingtheyieldlevelswith
appropriatepolicyandinstitutionaslupport.Itrequireswell-orchestrateedffortsintheresearchfrontbackedbysound
policiesandenabledinstitutionsT.heORPprogramsshouldbeinclosecollaboratiowniththerespectivemaincenters,
statelinedepartmentsK,VKs,ATMANGOsetc.forprogrammeplanning,implementationc,apacitybuildingandin
convergencweiththeongoingCentraalndStateGovt.schemeslikeNREGSN, HM,ISOPOMN,FSMetc.forupscaling
andscalingoutthetestedtechnologiesH.encet,heapproachshouldbeParticipatorAyctionResearch.
ThispublicationonOperationaRlesearchinRainfedAgroecosystem-RedefiniganewvisionthroughActionResearch,
whichisanoutcomeoftheICARadhocproject,hassucessfullbyroughotuttheimportancoefcapacitybuildingofORPs
withapproacheosnproblemidentificationd,evelopmenatndimplementatioonfactionplaninvolvingthemaincentersand
primaryandsecondarsytakeholdersI.complimenDtr.G.RavindraCharyandallotherassociatefsortheirbesteffortsin
bringingoutthisusefulpublication.
~ ~cd:~
,
(B.Venkateswarlu)
III
~
~
~knowledgements
1
'This Pu6rication entideli "'Operationa{ ff(.esearcli in !1(pinfCt! Agroecos!/stem
-!l(pfefbrirwa new Wion tlirOtlflIiJUtion!/(/searcli"isan outcomeof the M-cess (Projectcode:3030834026)
funded byICJZ/'1'(Wetfianl(JC!JI2\.jorfinancia£support. In thispu6{ication, theroCeof O'1(PsreCevanttothe
emer;gingneedsand trends in rainfed agricu[ture,by building their capacitiesthrough action researchwith
appropriateapproachesonpro6{emidentification, deve[{;pmentand impamentation of actionpran invo[ving
themaincenters,primary andsecondarysta/(f!ioUus, ishigfi[ightea.
'Wearehigfi[ygratefu[ to:
.
'Dr.9v£angafa'Rgi, Secretary, 'Department of5'lgricu[tura{ '1(esearchand 'Education ('D5'l'1('E)
and 'Director yenera[ Indian Councu of 5'lgricu[tura[ '1(esearch,~w 'De{fii.
.
'Dr.5'l.'l( Singh, 'Deputy 'Director yenera[ (:J{'1(9v£I)C, .9l!1\,~w 'De{fii.
.
'Dr.5'l.'l( yogoi, 5'lssistant 'Director yenera[ (5'lgronomy), IC.9l!1\,~w 'De{fii.
.
'Dr.'E.'J/en/(gteswar[u, 'Director, C'1(I'D5'l,'Dr.~S. '1(ama/(rishna and 'Dr.Jf.P.Singh, former
'DirectorosfC'1(I'D5J'ily,derabad. .
.
'Dr.P.'l( 9v£ishra,Project Coordinator (5'lIC2(P'D5'l)and 'Dr.'l(P.'l?v 'J/itta[ and 'Dr. y. Subba
2\fddy, former Project Coordinators (5'lIC'1(P'D5'l),Jiyderabad.
.
'Dr.g{'l( Sanghi, former Zona[ Coordinator ('J/),Jiyderabad.
.
5'l[{the Chief scientists, scientists of the main/sub centers and inefiar;gersand scientists of O2(Ps
and the scientists from other 5'lIC'R!J>s/S5'l'lls
.
'Dr. y.y.s.g{ '1(ao,Project Coordinator (5'lIC'1(P5'l9v£)',Dr. y.'l?v:J(prwar,
Jiead ('D'1(9v£)C,2(I'D5'land other scientists from C'RJ'D5'l
.
'TfieofficiaIs from state ane departments, 'l(J/'1(5,5'l'I!M52i,:J{yOs, :J{ationa[ 'Ean~ etc.
.
from
'Tfiefarmers the adopted vi[[ages of the O'R!J>s
J1lutfwrs
Jiyderabad
IV
.
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CContents.=J
1 Introduction 1 - 3
2 StudyArea 4-8
3 The Process 9 -44
3.1 Sensitization Phase 9 -10
3.2 Consultation and Modification Phase 11-12
3.3 Capacity BuildingPhase 12- 17
3.4 Action Research Phase 17- 35
3.5 Evaluation Phase 36 -44
4.0 Summary 45 -46
References 47 -48
Annexures 49 - 98
v
LJ
1.0. Introduction
India - Rainfed Agriculture Scenario
Rainfed agriculture in India is where crop production is totally dependent upon rainfall with
annualrainfall rangingfrom below 300mm to above2000mm. Rainfedregionsaccount for 60per
cent (85M ha) of net cultivated area covering most of the agroclimatic zones in the country.
Rainfedagriculture playsacrucial role in country's economy by producing 91, 90, 80and 65per
cent of coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds and cotton, respectively; contributing to 44 per cent of
the food grain production, supports two thirds of lives took population andinfluencing the liveli-
hoodsof 80 per cent of small and marginal farmers (CRIDAVision 2025, 2007). The productivity
gainsachieved during green revolution in irrigated areashave bypassedrainfed regions. Evenif
full irrigation potential of the country is achieved due to poor irrigation water utilization effi-
ciency (76per cent) about 75m hawill still remain asrainfed andwould continue to beamajor
food grain production domain. At the current rate of demographic expansion the per capita land
availability islikely to godownto lessthan 0.5 haby2025.This mayresult in operational holdings
in majority of the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid regions turning uneconomical. Thus, forcing a
large number of small and marginal farmers out of farming, their only meansof livelihood. It is
hardto predict at this juncture the consequenceof suchalarge-scale migration of people out of
farming andwithout anyalternate skills for earning livelihood. Thiswill haveseriousimplications
onsocialandeconomic fronts both in rural andurbanenvironments. Inorder to meet the growing
food grain demand it isdesired to attain from drylands anaverageof 2tlha food grainsfrom the
prevailing level of lessthan 0.1 tlha bythe year 2010.Butthe goalisnot easyto achieve keeping
inview substantial decreasein growth of production of coarsecereals, oilseed, andpulsesnoticed
in rainfed areas since the mid-1990. Unless substantial gains are realized in productivity and
profitability of rainfed crops, the present scenariowill not change much (Kerr et aI, 1999).How-
ever,considering the yield gapsbetween researchstations, onfarm trials andfarmer fields there
isample scopefor enhancing the yield levels with appropriate policy andinstitutional support. A
paradigmshift isobserved in cropping patterns mainly dueto profitability rather than productiv-
ity. Ingenuity in conservation and use of rainwater, the basic resource, is a driving force for
enhancedproductivity of cropsand livestock in rainfed regions. Besideslanddegradation rainfed
agriculture is faced another impending problem - climate change (Kulkhetra, 1991; IPCC,2007;
Lalet aI., 2001; Prabhakar,2008; RavindraCharyet aI, 2008 ). Further, to minimize the risk in
rainfed agriculture, well -orchestrated efforts are needed in the researchfront backed bytested
technology transfer modelsandapproaches(Jiggins,1989;RobertChambers, 1991;Rhoades, 1990;
Fletcher, 1991; sound policies (Gupta, 1991; Jodha, 1989), able institutions (Mathurand Sinha,
1991;Kalra,1991))and effecive linkages (Singhet aI., 1991)
Operational Research Project (ORP) in All India Coordinated Research Project
for Dryland Agriculture: Background
Concernedbythe widening productivity gapbetween irrigated and rainfed regions following the
greenrevolution, the IVFiveYearPlan(1969-74) specifically emphasizedthe urgent needfocuson
the hitherto neglected farmers of the rainfed regions to participate meaningfully in the agricul-
tural development process.The droughts of mid sixties catalyzed the Govt. to invest ondryland
research significantly. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR)launched the dryland
--
research project as the AllIndiaCoordinated Re- INDIA A
search Project for DrylandAgriculture (AICRPDA)
LOCATIONOFAICRPDACENTRES
in 1970in collaboration with the Government of
Canada through Canadian International Develop-
ment Agency (CIDA).AICRPDAstarted with few
network centres with coordinating cell at
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. In 1984,the Project
Directorate was upgraded to the status of a Cen-
tralinstitute viz.CentralResearchInstituteforDry-
landAgriculture(CRIDAa)t Hyderabadto carryout .."""",'"
basic and strategic research while network re- rR ~::::.::::::.~,,~.."""'"
search continued under AICRPDAumbrella in ap- . . .c *w~~~"",m' ,,~,
plied and adaptive research mode (Vittal et al, ..' c""~",",..o.ooooo-
~ ::::::.:".':~o:o""
2003).Atpresent, AICRPDAhas25centers located MAPNOTTO SCALE -"'"'",,"',,,
in 15states with one of the mandates of the cen-
ters isto evaluate and study transferability of improveddryland technology to farmers' fields.
Anothersignificant milestone was the start of the Operational Research Project (ORP)in 1974-75
byAllIndiaCoordinated Research Project for DrylandAgriculture (AICRPDAa)t few centres with
further expansions in 1976, 1980and 1984to total of eight centers.The concept of Operational
ResearchProject (ORP)was a trusted feedback to the research system on adoptability of dryland
technologiesbyfarmersas a wingto selectedcentreswith a CIDAfinancialsupport.ORPwas
_.
recommended as an integral part of the existingdryland research center. The centre for ensuring
continued research support and feedback to the Drylandcentre administers it. Hence, the staff
provided to ORPwas minimal. There has been noattempt to provide staff with specialization in
any particular discipline, asfarmers expected to carry'}' out our recommendations without rely-
ing on "expert". Afeedback from TravelingSeminar Participants (AICRPDA1,984)revealed that
emphasis should be on the need for treating the technology transfer objective of the Dryland
Project asanintegral part of the research program. Infact, the entire dryland project isbased on
the assumption that research will be transferable to dryland farmers. ORPwith its feedback
strategy can have a strong influence on maintaining a relevant research program. The research
and transfer program then must be integrally linked. The transfer programs must be rigorous in
their observations, analysisand reporting because, ifthey lack required rigor,the scientific valid-
ityofthe total programwillsuffer.Thus, "ResearchinOperationalResearch". Thespecific objec-
tives of ORPsare to test, adopt and demonstrate the new agricultural technologies on farmers'
fieldsinawholevillageor inacluster of few contiguousvillages/ watershed areas: to determine
the profitability of the new technologies and their pace orspread amongthe farmers; to identify
the constraints both technological and socio-economicwhichare barriers to rapidchange; and to
demonstrate groupactionasamethod ofpopularizingmodemtechnologies at afaster rate (Prasad
and ByraReddy,1991).SuccessiveQuinquennialReviewTeams(QRTReports 1990,1996and 2001)
appreciated the role of ORPsin rapid transfer of technologies byimprovingthe research output
through appropriate feedback. The approach of ORPsto local problems isbyand large ina dem-
onstrationmodewithemphasisonimprovingcropproductivity,thusfocusiscommodityoriented
whiletheir need of the hourisFarmingSystemsoriented. Similarlythe processes adopted byORPs
have yet to tap the fullest potential of participative methods of research and extension. Tothis
extent the approaches have been moreor lesstop-down. The QRTshave recommended the ORPs
to work on diversification of rainfed agriculture besides conducting participatory on-farm re-
search on a watershed basis. The review teams have also emphasized ontrials of soiland water
conservation and groundwater recharge inORPvillages.The literature pertaining to ORPsin dry-
landareas isbyand large confined to impact studies (AICRPDAAnnuaRleports,2003).The missing
linkisthe information on the role of ORPsin the changing scenario particularly in projects like
2
~
TechnologyAssessment and Refinement through Institute - Village Linkage Programme (NATP-
ICAR,1999-2005)that has a mandate to assess and refine the technologies.
Theemerging issues/needs vis-a vis role of ORPs
Rainfedregions are characterized by diverse agro-topoclimates (arid, semiarid, subhumid and
perhumid)and production systems, drought prone, fragile soil-landscape continuum with poor
soiland landquality, scarcity of water (surface, subsurface and groundwater) and resource poor
socioeconomicsettings. The growth rate in rainfed regions was highbefore 1990swhile it wit-
nessednegative orzero rate during 1995to 2005.There isa general consensus that sinceoppor-
tunities for further agricultural growth in irrigated regions is less, the onlyoption left isto pro-
duce morefrom rainfed regions in order to realize 3 to 4 per cent growth rate per annum from
agriculturesector asenvisaged inXIPlan(Vision2025-CRIDA2,007).Thisdemands morefocuson
enhanced utilization of natural, material, human and financial resources in rainfed agriculture.
Toachievethis,the approachshouldbe a paradigmshiftfrom"InputandPolicycentric"during
green revolution to the present Resource Management and PolicyCentric".
TheresearchunderAICRPDAnetworkcentershasbeenfocusingto addressthe locationspecific
problemsconsideringagroecological characteristics, predominant rainfed production systemsand
socioeconomicsettings with specific emphasis was on soil conservation and rainwater manage-
ment, evaluation of crops/varieties, cropping/farming systems and contingency planning, inte-
grated nutrient management, tillage and farm machinery and alternate land usesystems. Inthe
lastfewyears, morefocuswasgivenoncropping/farming systems, tillage andintegrated nutrient
'-. management, alternate land use systems for diversification and efficient implements on a tem-
plate of resource management particularly rainwater management.
Addressingnatural resource management issuesvis-avisthe twin problems ofclimate change and
landdegradation in rain fed agriculture isneed of the hour. Emergingmodern tools like remote
sensing,GISand InformationCommunicationTechnologies(ICTs)and appropriate changes inpoli-
ciesgoverningpricingandexportofagriculturalcommoditiesneedtobepursuedrigorouslyS. uch
initiativescallfor takinga close lookat the situation and makingrequired structural adjustments
soas to evolve processes to enhance the effectiveness of ORPas an institution. Thisrequires an
understandingof the prevailing perceptions of ORPbydifferent stakeholders. Creationof aware-
nessamong them about the need for a change and development of their capacity for change
management.Inotherwords,it isnecessaryto makesurethe relevanceofORPsintheseareas
and to prepare them to take on the challenges in the changed local and global scenario. This
necessitated studyingon the content and approach of the ORPsso that the livelihoodissues are
addressed ina holisticmanner whiledealingwith natural resource management options inrainfed
agroecosystem. Adoptinga more participative research and extension agenda will help address
andintegrate livelihoodissueswith natural resource management inthis fragile agroecosystem.
Action Research
Actionresearch isagroupof research methodologies that pursue action (orchange) and research
(orunderstanding) at the same time. Inmost of its forms it does this byusinga cyclicor spiral
process and alternates between action and critical reflection and in the later cycles it continu-
ouslyrefines the methods of data collection and interpretation in the lightof the understanding
the developed one inthe earlier cycles. Itisthus an emergent process, asit increases the under-
standing and an iterative process, asit converges towards better understanding ofwhat happens.
Inmost of its forms it is participative and qualitative. Inview of this, the present study was
initiated with the objectives i) to redefine the concept of ORPinthe changing scenario of rain
fedAgriculture;ii)to buildthe capacity ofORPfor meeting the changingneeds ofintegrating NRM
research and livelihoodissuesand iii) to institutionalize a processtoenhance the effectiveness of
ORP.
3
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