Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T2-05R-1052
Enhancing System Productivity of Farmers through Rainfed Integrated
Farming Systems in Shivalik Foot hills of Punjab
Balwinder Singh Dhillon*, M. J. Singh, Anil Khokhar, Abrar Yousuf, Mohammad
Amin Bhatand Parminder Singh Sandhu
Punjab Agricultural University-Regional Research Station, AICRPDA Centre BallowalSaunkhri,
Balachaur, Punjab 144521- India
* dhillonbalwinder@pau.edu
In Punjab, rainfed area lies in North-Eastern part in the form of 10 to 20 km wide strip known
as 'Kandi' area. The area of region is approximately 3.93 lakh ha which comprises 7.8% of
total geographical area of the state. The crop production in rainfed area is mostly dependent
on rainfall received during the monsoon season. The productivity of rainfed crops remains
low which is attributed to erratic distribution of rainfall, intermittent dry spells during the
crop season, delayed onset and early withdrawal of monsoon. Maize–wheat is the
predominant cropping system in this region. Integrated farming system (IFS) approach has
been widely advocated for improving productivity, profitability, livelihood and soil health
under different agro-ecological settings of India (Sahoo et al. 2015; Balamati and Shamaraj
2017).
Improving the productivity of annual crops shall remain the focal point for improving the
productivity of any farming system. The key elements for improvement of crop productivity
envisaged for this region are: efficient rain water management, suitable tillage and sowing
operations, selection of improved varieties, appropriate intercropping and crop rotation
systems, efficient soil fertility management, proper plant protection measures and
contingency crop planning. However, positive impact of these interventions on yield are more
perceptible only in normal to mild drought years, causing reluctance of farmers to adopt these
improved dryland farming technologies (Jodha et al 2012). But they are constrained mainly
due to poor access to technical knowledge and critical inputs, long gestation period and high
transaction cost of small marketable surplus. Due to small and scattered land holdings, the
farmers in Shivalik foothills of Punjab have poor economic status. Integration of crops,
animals and related subsidiary enterprises may enhance the net-income of the farm as a
whole. Therefore, various rainfed integrated farming systems (RIFS)/models were established
at farmers’ field under rainfedand partially irrigated conditions to compare the system
productivity and economics of IFS models with maize-wheat cropping systems.
Ecosystem based approaches for climate change adaptation, ecosystem services, integrated farming system
models, Land degradation neutrality
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