1. Rainfed Agriculture: An Evolving Approach for Inclusive Growth of Rainfed Areas Ravindra A Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network (RRA-Network) www.wassan.org

2. THE STORY OF GREEN REVOLUTION..

4. Productivity gradient in rice (t / ha)

5. Poverty Clusters 5 Irrigated Lands

6. 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

7. Premises of Agriculture Policy and investments in India : 1.Input-response 2.Intensive inputs 3.Well-endowed areas (water/ soils / topography) 4.High productivity & surplus generation Seeds Fertilisers Extension CreatingDemand PriceSupport Irrigation Labour Machinery Research Industry Transport Storage Credit Energy This has become de facto agriculture policy, even extended to rainfed areas

8. Seeds Fertilisers Extension Creating Demand Price Support Irrigation Labour Machinery 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 …..

9. The Story of Rainfed Areas!!

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

11. 1 to 2 tons / ha increase if FYM is added..

12. BIOMASS & AGRONOMY HOLD THE KEY

13. Performance of SRI Cost Item SRI Conv entional Land preparation cost (Rs) 20332423 DAP (Kg) 7658 Urea (Kg)6556 Inorganic fertilizers cost (Rs) 13691166 Seed rate (Kg)2.530.5 Seed cost (Rs)54553 Age of the seedlings (days)14.528 Transplantation cost (Rs)12121874 Weeding cost (Rs)6661174 Pest management cost (Rs)180185 Wages for harvesting (Rs)13822029 Wages for threshing (Rs)658946 Total cost of cultivation (Rs)798310170 Grain yield (Q) 21.518.5 Gross income (Rs)2275920241.5 Net income (Rs)146339264 B:C1.950.85

14. REQUIRED INVESTMENTSPRESENT WATER INVESTMENTS Supplemental irrigation can increase yields by 30 – 40 %

15. THE BASIS OF RAINFED AREAS’ POLICIES..

16. 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

17. NRM Production Systems Livelihoods Watershed development Agriculture Development Poverty programs DOES IT WORK?

18. WHAT TO SUPPORT ?..

19. DescriptionUnitsAverage Volume of Compost bedCu m9.73 Collection of Biomass (wage days) no of days9.50 Out turn for collection Cu m Per day1.13 Preparation of compost bed (wage days) No. of days3.33 Out turn for preparation of bed Cu m Per day3.20 Watering (wage days) No10.00 Out turn for Watering Cu m Per day0.97 Local Wage rate (in 2006-07) Rs./ day60.00 Cost of compost makingRs1370.00 Total Compost Output expected Cu m3.21 No of person days required for producing one CumNo7.89 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.

20. 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’.

21. Irrigation What can the rainfed farmer achieve if such investments are available?

22. Trends in Crop Area Trends in Livestock District : Anantapur

23. Conservation Production Livelihoods Unsustainable - Engineering approach to w/s Sustainable - Farming Systems Approach to W/S

24. 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