Role of Maize crop for rural livelihood and income generation among Tribal community of Bastar

P.S. Kusro, J.K. Tiwari, S. Agrawal and J.L. Chaudhary

S. G. College of Agriculture & Research Station, Jagdalpur

- 494 005 (C.G.)

ABSTRACT

Maize (Zea maize) is one of the most important crop under rainfed condition in Bastar Plateau of Chhattigarh which play major role in improving the income of tribal farmers. One of the constraint in conventional maize crop cultivation is low productivity due to lack of awareness of package of practices and improved varieties on the basis of ecological situations. Fertilizer use is very low or with almost no use of fertilizers, pesticides and use of improved crop varieties is extremely limited. To improve productivity and production as well as income generation of farmers, on farm demonstration were conducted of maize crop in different clusters under NAIP-3 during 2008-09. Recommended package of practices applied to the framers in On-farm demonstration viz. use of better agronomic practices, improved variety, line sowing, balanced use of fertilizers and crop protection measures resulting in increase of the yield of crops up to 118.19 per cent during the two years over traditional method of cultivation. The results of this study showed that maize productivity will be enhanced by popularization improved varieties along with adoption of improved Agronomical practices in these backward areas of Bastar region of C.G. This will enable to enhance the livelihood security and Socio-economic status of poor farmers of the region.The extension and technology gap was found in on-farm demonstration and farmer practices.

INTRODUCTION:

Bastar plateau is having good agro climatic situation for maize production but the productivity of maize in the district is 1800 kg/ha (2008-09). This level of production has to be sustainability raised to meet its growing demand for human food, animal and poultry feed as well as for industrial processing by the wet and dry millers to produce value added products with the present available technology. The productivity increase in agriculture of great importance to reduce poverty , food insecurity and malnutrition . Such productivity increases are also important to reduce production cost and prices of staple food . Indian Council of Agricultural Research has taken the responsibility to enhance the production,productivity and rural family income and livelihood through technology transfer on various selected crop like maize suitable to location specific .NAIP –III Project implemented through S G College of Agriculture and Research Station Jagadalpur at Bastar district of Chhattishgarh. On-farm Demonstrations were organized on improved production technology at farmers field.

Table. 1: Present scenario and potentials of the district.

Year	Area (ha.)	Productivity (Q./ha)
2002	29420	9.35
2003	27890	17.00
2004	35960	17.50
2005	42195	17.40
2006	37517	17.00
2007	41447	17.50
2008	49135	18.00

Source: Deputy Director Agriculture, Jagdalpur, Bastar

METHODOLOGY The present study was carried out by S G College Agriculture & Research Station Jagadalpur under NAIP-III component during Karif season 2008 and 2009 at the farmer`s fields of four adopted clusters(Turenar, Bastanar, Kondagaon and Kanker) .In total 60 On-Farm Demonstrations conducted at farmer`s field. Materials for the present study with respect to OFD and farmer`s Practices were given in Table 2. In case of local check plots , existing practices being used by farmers were followed. In general ,soils of the area under study were sandy loam to silty loam and medium to low fertility status.

The present investigation was conducted to study the gaps between the potential yield and demonstration yield and extension gap and net additional income. In the present evaluation study, the observations on output of maize cultivation were collected from OFD plots, besides the data of local practices commonly adopted by farmer of this region were also recorded. In demonstration plots a few critical inputs in the form of quality seed, balanced fertilizers ,agrochemicals etc. were provided and technical guidance like timely sowing in lines ,weeding , weed control, harvesting were performed whereas, traditional practices were maintained in case of local check. The technologies demonstrated are mentioned Table 1 and compared with farmer practices .

Table.2: Technology adoption in FP and IP .

S. No.	Operation	Farmer practices	OFD Technology
1	Use of seed	Local seed	Hi shell and Maharaja Hybrids
2	Sowing method	Broadcasting	Line sowing
3	Fertilizer application	Only FYM	FYM with balance fertilizers
4	Weed control	No any control measure	Hand picking / with chemicals
5	Harvesting	At full maturity	Before full maturity

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Results of 60 OFD conducted during 2008 and 2009 at Farmer`s fields of four clusters of Bastar Zone revealed that the improved practices demonstrated under OFD i.e.; use of improved varieties, line sowing ,balanced application of fertilizers (N: P: K @ 60: 40: 40 kg/ ha) with FYM @1 ton ha-1 and weed control produced on averag118.19 % more yield of maize and increase in additional income 16221.50 Rs ha-1 and gross return 35201.25 Rs ha-1 and net return 21351.25 Rs ha-1 ,as compared to local check (17.10 kg ha-1 ).The extension gap observed in the range of 18.85-21.45 kg/ ha and Technology gap in the range of 4.50-6.0 kg ha-1 . The results showed that the OFD has given a good impact over the tribal community of this region as they were motivated by improved technologies applied in the OFD plots. These findings are in close conformity to Sahoo and Panda (2000).

The yield potential of maize can be increased by adoption of proven technologies at farmer`s field . This will improve the income level as well as the livelihood of farming families . There is a urgent need to bridge the gap of yield potential by transfer of technology to village level from the research stations. Under demonstration, improved techniques like improved varieties seed, spacing and line sowing, balance fertilization and plant protection measures were adopted . These technologies were found to be main reason of increase in yield performance of maize crop . The technology transfer under NAIP –III not only helped in demonstrating the ways and means of increasing productivity of maize but also given a chance to get feed- back for further refinement of location specific constraints and solve them in proper time and right method. The OFD on maize motivated farmers to adopt new technology of maize cultivation as well as played a significant role in bringing diversification of mono cropping kharif rice-fallow system prevalent in this area.

REFERENCES

1. Kibey, M .B.; Patil, R. P. and Desai, B. R. (1984). Impact of national demonstration on the adoption of improved agricultural technology by the demonstrating tribal farmers . Maharashtra J. of Extension Education, III 61-65.

2. Sahoo,S.C.and Panda,M.M.(2000).On Farm assessment of use of chemical fertilizer and FYM on the productivity of maize (Zea mays L.).Ann.agric.Res.,21(4):559-560.

3. Tayade, A. S.; Gupta ,R. R.; Meshram, M. K. and Venugopalan, M.V. (2011). On Farm Evaluation of Nutrient Management Based Interventions in Rainfed Cotton Production System. Indian J. Fert. Vol. 7 pp 12-17

Table.3: Yield of Maize as influenced by improved and farmer practice on farmers fields.

Year	No.of demonstration	Grain Yield q ha^-1				% increase in grain yield	Extension Gap	Technology Gap
Year	No.of demonstration	highest	Lowest	Average	F P	% increase in grain yield	Extension Gap	Technology Gap
2008	25	42.5	33.5	38.00	16.55	129.60	21.45	4.50
2009	35	40.5	32.5	36.50	17.65	106.79	18.85	6.00
Mean	60	41.5	33.0	35.50	16.93	118.19	18.56	--

*Extension Gap= Demonstration yield- Yield in F P

*Technology Gap= Potential yield – Demonstration yield

Table. 4: Cost of cultivation ,net return, under improved and farmer practice.

year	Cost of cultivation (Rs ha^-1)		Gross return (Rs ha^-1)		Net return (Rs ha^-1)		Additional net income (Rs ha^-1)
year	I P	F P	I P	F P	I P	F P	Additional net income (Rs ha^-1)
2008	13450	10250	35910.0	15690.50	22460.0	4450.0	17710.0
2009	14250	10560	34492.5	16410.00	20242.5	5510.0	14732.5
mean	13850	10405	35201.25	16050.25	21351.25	4980.0	16221.5