1. WELCOME

2. Challenges and Opportunities for Dryland Agriculture in Maharashtraby
Dr. D. P. Waskar
Director of Research,
VNMKV, Parbhani

3. 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
(82%)

5. Area, production & yield of major 6 crops in Maharashtra
( )
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

6. Region wise area, production & yield of major crops in Maharashtra
( )
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

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

8. Share of agriculture & allied sector in state
GSDP in Maharashtra
Year
% share
17.89
13.43
12.92
10.09

9. Average size of land holding (ha) of Maharashtra
Human Population
Maharashtra 1,12,37,3000
Livestock Population
Maharashtra 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
4,052
5,739
2,473
7,155
396
2,603 59
752
20.0 & above 9
332
Total
13,698
19,767
Source: Commissionerate of Agriculture, GoM

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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)

16. 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

17. Kharif Sorghum PVK801

18. 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)

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

20. Pigeonpea crop after harvest of soybean during
Kharif 2015

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

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

23. 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 /- per ha
This practice conserve 30 per cent more moisture and reduced runoff and soil loss by 30 per cent

24. 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.

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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 %

28. View of borewell recharge technology in rainy season

29. View in Rainy season – September 2015

30. View after recession on rainfall -September 2015

31. 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

32. Spraying of KN03

33. 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

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

35. 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

36. IFS Model

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

38. Integrated Value Chain
Processing
Grading
Packing
Export
Integrated Value Chain

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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

42. Thank you