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Challenges and Opportunities for Dryland Agriculture in Maharashtra by Dr. D. P. Waskar Director of Research, VNMKV, Parbhani dpwaskar@gmail.com

Cultivable area lakh ha Area under irrigation lakh ha Maharashtra State Particulars Maharashtra Geo. Area Lakh ha. 308 Cultivable area lakh ha 225 Area under irrigation lakh ha 40.58 (18%) Dryland area lakh ha 184.42 (82%)

Area, production & yield of major 6 crops in Maharashtra (2015-16) Crop Area (Lakh ha.) Production (Lakh tonnes) Yield (Kg/ha) Cotton 42.07 39.14 158 Soybean 37.02 17.95 485 Jowar (Rabi) 25.97 8.37 322 Rice (K) 14.71 25.17 17.11 Gram 14.42 7.77 539 Tur 12.37 4.44 359

Region wise area, production & yield of major crops in Maharashtra (2015-16) Region Crop Area (00 ha) Production (00 tonnes) Yield (kg/ha) Konkan Rice (K) 3798 9946 2619 Ragi 341 356 1044 Western Maharashtra Jowar (R) 16890 5709 630 Cotton 9252 10163 122 Sugarcane 7539 608789 81 Marathwada 18058 9248 88 Soybean 13146 4167 317 8805 2524 284 Vidarbha 20077 8987 441 14760 19731 228 Rice 7345 8794 713 Yield of cotton in lint and sugarcane in tonnes

Area under horticulture crops in Maharashtra (2014-15) Production (000MT) Fruits 742.28 11089.53 Vegetables 595.21 8783.01 Flowers 7.25 38.53 Aromatic plants 0.32 0.26 Spices 123.24 130.09 Plantation crops and others 216.50 367.58

Share of agriculture & allied sector in state GSDP in Maharashtra Year % share 1990-91 17.89 2000-01 13.43 2010-11 12.92 2014-15 10.09

Average size of land holding (ha) of Maharashtra Human Population Maharashtra 1,12,37,3000 Livestock Population Maharashtra 21.1 million Average size of land holding (ha) of Maharashtra Size Class (ha) No. of operational holdings ('000) Area of operational holdings ('000 ha) Upto 1.0 6,709 3,186 1.0 - 2.0 4,052 5,739 2.0 - 5.0 2,473 7,155 5.0 - 10.0 396 2,603 10.0 - 20.0 59 752 20.0 & above 9 332 Total 13,698 19,767 Source: Commissionerate of Agriculture, GoM

Climate Change Climate of Maharashtra experiences wide inter districts & intra districts variability Region experiences wide variability within and in between districts in respect of rainfall situation & also different soil type predominant in various parts of region Occurrence of frequent droughts, unseasonal rains & hailstorms are the features of climate change in the region Monsoon commences from June & terminates by September end Around 80 percent of annual rainfall is concentrated in these months Agriculture is highly influenced by weather, which is most unpredictable. Unfavorable weather condition like delayed onset of monsoon, intermittent dry spell condition, prolonged droughts and extreme weather events are major concern to agriculture

Problems Low and erratic rainfall, aberrant weather condition Dry spell during crop growth stages Low adoption of in-situ soil moisture conservation techniques Limited number of farm ponds at farm levels and its use Degraded soil with low water retention capacity Soil erosion due to high intensity of rainfall Micro-watershed development programme on limited area

Challenges Monocropping and crop failure Growing of cotton crop on light to medium soil Intercropping in Bt. cotton Agro-horticulture systems profitable under rainfed condition Non-availability of input at proper time Non availability of farm machinery for small farmer Non-support price for some Dryland crops Assured source for protective irrigation Adoption of insitu moisture conservation practices on larger scale Non-availability of equipments suitable for different agricultural operations for fragmented holdings, intercropping systems etc. particularly combine harvester availability at harvesting of soybean crop

Socio-economical Rising input costs, declining profits Only 15% farmers benefited from crop insurance

Preparedness: Sowing of crops as per the onset of monsoon Climate Resilient Technologies Preparedness: Sowing of crops as per the onset of monsoon Selection of short duration & drought tolerant varieties Intercropping systems Sowing with Broad Bed furrows- soybean, cotton Ridges & Furrow sowing- soybean, cotton, PP Sowing across the slope Opening of conservation furrow/ Dead furrow Recharging of open wells and bore wells Farm ponds for rainwater harvesting & protective irrigation

Conntingency crop planning for delayed onset of monsoon Sowing date Crops/cropping systems to be adopted Up to 30 June after normal onset on monsoon Cotton + soybean, Soybean + pigeon pea, Sorghum + pigeon pea, Castor + soybean, Bajra + pigeon pea, green gram, Black gram, sorghum, pearl millet, cotton and soybean 1-15 July Cotton + soybean, Soybean + pigeon pea, Castor + soybean and Bajra + pigeon pea, 16-30 July Soybean + pigeon pea, Bajra + pigeon pea and Castor + soybean 1-15 August Soybean + pigeon pea, Bajra + pigeon pea and Castor + soybean (exceptional situation)

Selection of short duration and drought escaping/tolerant varieties Soybean : MAUS-71, MAUS-158, MAUS-612 MAUS-711, MAUS-509, MAUS-740, Cotton : PA-255, PA-08, PA-402, PA-528 Pigeon pea : BDN-711, Sorghum : PVK-801, PVK-809 Chickpea : BDNG-797 Safflower : PBNS-12,PBNS-40,PBNS-86

Kharif Sorghum PVK801

Sorghum + Pigeon pea (4:2) Prominent Intercropping systems Soybean + Pigeon pea (4:2) Cotton + Pigeon pea (4:2) Cotton + Soybean (1:1) Cotton + Green gram (1:1) Sorghum + Pigeon pea (4:2) Cotton + Green gram (1:1) Sorghum + Pigeon pea (4:2)

Soybean + Pigeon pea (4:2) Pigeon pea after harvest of Soybean Cotton + Soybean (1:1)

Pigeonpea crop after harvest of soybean during Kharif 2015

Broad Bed Furrow (BBF) for Soybean Recommended Domain : Maharashtra Performance : This practice conserve 20-25 per cent more moisture and reduced runoff and soil loss Crop yield increase by 20-25 per cent Scope for convergence : Supply of Tractor drawn BBF planter through custom hiring

Performance of Pigeonpea under deficit rainfall condition Performance of cotton under deficit rainfall condition

Conservation furrow in cotton and soybean sole and intercropping Recommended Domain : Maharashtra Performance : An additional cotton equilvalent yield of 450 kg/ha. can be obtained with net monetory benefit of Rs. 19350/- per ha This practice conserve 30 per cent more moisture and reduced runoff and soil loss by 30 per cent

Artificial Well Recharge Model for Open well Recommended Domain : Marathwada Region Filter material External filter 0.60x0.60x0.60 m Main filter 2x2x2 m Boulders/ big stones 20 cm 30 cm Gravels / small stones sand Performance : Filteration efficiency 95 per cent 25 per cent runoff water can be use for recharging, groundwater level increase by 0.3 to 3.4 mtr.

A Special experience - Well recharge model in NICRA village 10 open wells recharge model were developed on farmers field Thereby increasing ground water potential and enriched the source of protective irrigation Protective irrigation was provided to cotton, pigeon pea, soybean in kharif and to gram, rabi sorghum and safflower in rabi Without protective irrigation: No germination in rabi 2015 due to the early withdrawal of monsoon and moisture stress during sowing of rabi crops 25

Un-recharged open well Ground water recharge in treated and untreated open well in NICRA village Name of the farmers Pre-monsoon water level, m Post-monsoon water level, m Water level fluctuation, m Ground water recharge, cm % ground water recharge Recharged open well Daulatrao Maske 15.00 06.21 8.79 20.92 51.27 Dnyanoba Avhad 14.38 07.45 6.93 16.49 41.42 Ganpat pardhe 11.71 06.31 5.40 12.85 31.49 Girish Pardhe 13.51 9.15 4.36 9.42 23.08 Vitthal Pardhe 21.34 15.24 5.10 12.14 29.75 Dnyanoba Pardhe 18.90 12.24 6.66 15.85 38.84 Shamrao Pardhe 16.29 11.19 Kailash Dhumal 17.62 9.14 8.48 20.18 49.46 Vitthal Dalve 17.65 12.56 5.09 12.11 29.68 Munja Pardhe 18.61 6.90 16.42 40.24 Average 36.39 Un-recharged open well Sundar Pardhe 18.31 16.27 2.04 4.85 11.88 Rama Nemane 19.15 16.10 3.05 7.26 17.79 14.83

Bore well Recharge Technology Model Sr. No. Filter material Thickness of layer 1 Fine Sand 20 cm 2 Gravel sand 30 cm 3 Metal 50 cm 4 Stones Schematic view of Bore well recharge technology Filtration efficiency: 93 to 96 %

View of borewell recharge technology in rainy season

View in Rainy season – September 2015

View after recession on rainfall -September 2015

Real Time Contingency Interventions Early season drought Dust Mulching Gap filling Re-sowing Altering plant density Thinning Midseason drought Dust mulching Straw mulching Foliar spray-spraying of KNO3 Terminal drought Protective irrigation

Spraying of KN03

Farm pond and Protective irrigation Catchment area, ha Dimensions of farm pond, M (L x W x D) Side slope Storage volume, (m3) Area under protective irrigation ( Ha) Area covered by farm pond (%) 1 20 x 20 x 3 1.5:1 741 0.75 4.0 2 25 x 25 x 3 1281 1.05 3.13 3 30 x 30 x 3 1971 2.25 3.0 Protective irrigation to kharif crop in dry spell condition / rabi crops using sprinkler with 4 nozzle and minimum 1.5 hp pump set

Agriculture Mechanization Custom Hiring Centers Total 1080 CHC service providing units Active participation of KVK, NGOs, SHG, FIGs & FPOs 34

Rainfed IFS Model Sr. No Components Area (ha) 1. Crops and cropping system   Soybean – Rabi Sorghum 0.15 Soybean – Chickpea Soybean + Pigeonpea Cotton + Soybean 2. Fodder crops Marvel and Dashrath 0.12 3. Rainfed fruit crops Mango 0.08 Custard apple 4. Livestock units Goat keeping (7+ 1) 0.05 Deshi poultry (50 birds) 5. Farm pond 0.07

IFS Model

Area under Poly house and shade net must be increased in Dryland Agriculture

Integrated Value Chain Processing Grading Packing Export Integrated Value Chain

Agriculture in Maharashtra - A Glimpse Large state with progressive agriculture and industry More of rainfed area (85%), vulnerable to monsoons behaviour and hence farmers distress in Vidarbha and Marathwada Most irrigation projects depend on south west monsoon and unreliability of water supply High diversity in crops and cropping systems Major producer of sugarcane, pulses, cotton, soybean, alphonso mangoes and pomegranate High agri-entrepreneurship, particularly in horticulture

Strategies for doubling farmers income Strategies need to be region specific Along with agriculture, and allied enterprises will play major role (i.e. Dairy, meat, poultry, horticulture, sericulture etc.) Processing and value addition with required infrastructure will add substantial income Non-farm income will contribute significantly in future in all regions

Region wise priorities Konkan Quality production of mango and cashew, grading, packing and export oriented units, improved technology in marine fisheries (Cage culture) Western Maharashtra Mechanization in sugarcane, High value intercrops, export oriented horticulture and floriculture Marathwada Soybean processing, mechanization and primary value addition in cotton, pulse processing and small ruminants Vidarbha Cotton value chain, post harvest value addition to citrus fruits, non timber forest produce including herbals

Thank you