06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

The ploughs and other implements are almost
exclusively local in origin. Local artisans assemble
the implements. The traditional plough in use in
the sanctuary includes four components; the juali
(yoke), the esa (beam), the khusa (handle) the
kanthi (shank)2, and the langalo (body ard) on to
which the phalo (plough share) is fitted using
metal clamps (jugali). The portion on to which the
plough share if fixed is the phalo. The moi is
made either from bamboo or from Excoecaria
agallocha (guan)
District and block details: The major crop is the
kharif paddy. The residents cannot cultivate a
second crop from the residual moisture. In
addition to paddy they cultivate vegetables like
brinjal, chilli, tomato, ladyfinger and pumpkin.
Jute, sugarcane, chilly, ginger, banana and
coconut are also cultivated in some areas of the
district. The new HYV paddy preferred by the
residents of Rajanagar Block are Parijat, 16T-5656,
MTU 7029, Swarna, CRI009, 1014, and 1018. The
local varieties preferred are Pattani, Balunki and
Raspunjuri. The diseases related to paddy are
sheath rot, brown sport and stem borer.
Table16: Theyieldrate(qWha)fordilferentcropsforthe
2000Kharifseason.
Crop Kendrapara Rajnagar
HYV Rice 18.10 15.70
Local rice 10.87 10.04
HYV maize 15.88 15.30
Jute 27.37 15.50
Chilii 12.14 11.50
Ginger 141.83 145.70
Total pulses 7.31 8.66
Source: .District Agricultural Strategy Committee Meeting
for KHARIF 2001 of Kendrapars District
Panchayats of Ishwarpur and Gupti are closer to
big rivers and get a good supply of fresh water,
reflecting in the greater paddy productivity.
Satbhaya . and Talchua panchayats have no
irrigation, and the rivers close to them are under
high tidal influence, so the farmers are not able to
use the brackish water for irrigating their fields;
thus the low productivity. The villages of Satbhaya
have no mangrove forests between them and the
sea and are the most vulnerable to storms and
cyclones.
189
Bhitarkanika
Table17: Paddy(HYV)productivitylortheyear2000
In the six panchayats
Panchayo' Revenue Non.paddy Area under Paddy
villages area (ha.) paddy (ha.) productivity
(HYV)Q1IftIa.
Dangmal 18 55 1813 12.0
Gupti 17 108 1412 16.0
Ishwarpur 23 102 2209 19.0
salbhaya 18 5 616 90
Talchua 18 63 1571 9.6
Rangani 22 96 1817 14.8
Rainagar810ck 310 1023 24.065 15.7
Source: District agriculture office~ Keodrapara.
The Kendrapara district covers an area of
2,29,565 ha. Out of this 1,69,981 ha is cultivated
area and 1,60,000ha is exclusively used for paddy
cultivation. Cyclones, floods and drought create
havoc with the crops and decrease productivity.
The most affected area being the Rajnagar block.
Table18:TheproblemareasinKendraparadistrict
Area type Land area in ha.
Flood prone 34,952
Saline 32,354
Waterlogged 15,850
Drought prone 1,10,397
Total 1,93,553
Souree: District Agriculture Office, Kendrapara
The district agriculture officer of Kendrapara
spoke about the difficulty to increase the yield in
Rajnagar block due to the saline nature of the soil
and the frequent flooding with either floodwaters
from the rivers or saline waters after a cyclone. He
said that one family is trying a lift irrigation
system and if that works such that a second crop
is possible then his department will help in setting
up such lift irrigation systems. .
b. Livestock :
One of the main reasons of the decrease of
mangrove cover is cattle grazing. The cattle are
left in the forests to forage. These animals not only
graze on the young leaves of many mangrove and
associated species but also damage the seedlings.
Most of the villages have indigenous buffaloes and
cows. The Bengali households also look after
ducks in addition to fowls and goats.