Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
Methodology
On-farm demonstrations were conducted at farmers’ fields during 2017-2021 under the project
entitled “National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)”, which is an
operational area at Vannedoddi village of Gooty mandal, Ananthapuramu district of Andhra
Pradesh, which is geographically situated in between 15 0 08 ’ N latitude and 77 0 40 ’ E longitude.
The predominant soils in this region are red sandy loam in texture with near neutral in reaction,
low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and potassium.
Demonstration fields were selected based on the willingness of the farmers to implement
participatory research to evaluate the science-based approach. The selected farmers in the
village participated in every intervention like soil sampling, input application and growth and
yield estimation. At the demonstration site, the normal rainfall was 595.6 mm. Out of five years
study (2017-2021), 2018 is rain deficit year in which 44 per cent deficit rainfall was recorded.
Three years i.e. 2019, 2020 and 2021 were rainy excess years in which 29, 95 and 61 per cent
excess rainfall was recorded respectively. The rainfall during 2017 was found normal. The
variations in rainfall patterns clearly showed that rainfall vulnerability. During the above study
period (2017-2021), the dryspells were recorded at different phenophases of crop growth period
in rainfed crops. During the study period, 2 to 4 dryspells occurred with 11 to 67 consecutive
rainless days was noticed. To overcome this dryspells, the climate resilient technologies like
in-situ moisture conservation through formation of conservation furrows at every crop row in
sole castor and pigeonpea + pearlmillet (1:1) intercropping system were conducted on farmer
fields as participatory approach during 2017-2021.
Results
The five years data indicated that higher seed yield, net monetary returns, benefit-cost ratio and
rainwater use efficiency were recorded with formation of conservation furrow at every crop
row compared to control (without conservation furrow). Mean data revealed that, the seed yield
of castor was increased by16.3% and additional net returns of Rs.4331ha -1 was realized with
the formation of conservation furrows compared to control. This might be due to conservation
furrows helps to conserve more rainwater in the root zone, which in turn beneficial to cope up
with mid-season drought in castor.
Resilience through land and water management interventions, water management and governance
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