Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
Methodology
Participatory on-farm demonstrations were conducted on farmers’ fields during 2011-2021
under the project “National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture” (NICRA) which is
operational at 151 village clusters. Villages were selected based on the risk proneness and it
represents the overall climatic constraint of the district. During 2019, about 68 KVKs involved
in TDC program have received the normal rainfall between 19 to -19 per cent than long period
average (LPA), 26 KVKs received the deficit rainfall of -20 to -59 per cent, 20 KVKs received
the excess rainfall between 20 to 60 per cent and 7 KVKs received large excess rainfall between
65 to 102 per cent more than the normal kharif rainfall. The climate resilient techniques viz.,
in-situ moisture conservation through conservation furrow, ridge and furrow, broad bed furrow,
trench cum bunding and mulching were demonstrated at farmers’ field.
Results
The effect of water harvesting technologies on various crops are presented in Table 1. Data
indicated that, check dams, farm ponds, percolation tanks, bore well recharge technologies in
crops such as rice, maize, soybean, pigeonpea, cotton and wheat has increased the irrigated
area and cropping intensification. By providing supplemental irrigation to kharif crops and pre
sowing irrigation to rabi crops the yields were enhanced upto 112% and also augmented the
ground water level increasing the water table upto 15-100% in various locations. In Hilly
regions Jalkund was demonstrated to farmers to harvest the runoff and provide lifesaving
irrigation to high value crops and increased crop diversification. The yield improvement
obtained was more than 100% compared to farmers without jalkunds. In-situ approaches were
also demonstrated at various locations, in low rainfall regions (