Analysis on Adoption of Blackgram Growers in Periyar vaigai Command Area of Madurai District

The IAM Project will bring the policy and institutional development achieved under IAMWARM project to a new level and will serve as the key vehicle for implementing the Tamil Nadu Government agenda in further enhancing water and agriculture productivity in a sub basin framework. Madurai District of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected for this study because Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernization Project was conducted under Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The foremost objective of the study was to assess the adoption level of respondents in study area. Majority of the TN-IAMP beneficiaries (81.70% had medium level of adoption followed by nearly less than one-sixth of the total beneficiaries (15.80%) possess low adoption and only 2.5% of the beneficiaries had high level of adoption rate in this study.

Impact on Knowledge of Blackgram Growers in Periyar Vaigai Command Area of Madurai District

The World Bank Supported TN IAM (Irrigated Agriculture Modernization) Project is a follow up of IAMWARM presently it was called as (Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water-Bodies Restoration and Management) Project which has made significant development and impacts in the Tamil Nadu state by modernizing irrigation infrastructure, improving water use efficiency, enhancing yield and productivity of agriculture in a climate resilient production systems, diversification towards high-value crops, strengthening the institutional reforms through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) and Water Users Association (WUA). Madurai District of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected for this study because Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernization Project was conducted under Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The foremost objective of the study is to assess the knowledge level of respondents in the study area. According to crop production technology aspects revealed that (79.00%) of the beneficiaries possessed knowledge in using VBN 6 variety for cultivation. The study concluded that majority (80.00%) of the beneficiaries were possessed knowledge on (cultural control) fixation of light traps, crop rotation (77.50%) and sowing carry out in proper season.

Status of farm mechanization and its impact on maize production in Jhapa District, Nepal

A survey research was carried out in 2020 in maize zone, Jhapa to identify and analyze the status of farm mechanization and its impact in the maize production. Kankai Municipality and Jhapa Rural municipality were purposively selected for the study as these areas were under the command area of prime minister agriculture modernization project, project implementation unit, maize zone Jhapa. Thereafter, a total of 70 samples were selected using random sampling method. Thirty-three samples were selected from Kankai Municipality and remaining thirty-seven were selected from remaining Jhapa rural municipality. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire, focal group discussion and key informant interview whereas secondary data were obtained through a review of relevant literature. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data. It was found that the status of mechanization was still in the initial phase in the study area. Results showed that mechanization was limited to two cultural operations namely tillage and threshing of which only in case of tillage, farm machineries were adopted by more than ninety percent of the respondent farmers while in case of sowing more than ninety percent of respondent didn’t use any modern equipment. Insect and pest in maize field was major problem faced by the farmers. Therefore, productivity of maize in Kankai area was higher as compared to Jhapa area as adoption of mechanization was higher in Kankai area.

Evaluation of different weed management practices in dry direct seeded spring rice at Baniyani, Jhapa, Nepal

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 2020 to evaluate the different weed management practices in dry directed seeded spring rice under Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project (PMAMP) super zone at Baniyani, Jhapa. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven weed management related treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of pre-emergence application of Pretilachlor, pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin, pre-emergence application of Pretilachlor fb post-emergence butachlor pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin fb post-emergence Bispyribac Na, Sesbania co-culture along with pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin along with two control treatments (weedy free and weedy check). The rice variety Hardinath-1 was used in the experiment. Data regarding the weed flora, weed density, weed dry weight, growth, yield attributes and yield were recorded and analyzed. The highest number of effective tillers per m2 (371.51) and number of grains per panicle (145.43) were obtained in Pendimethalin treated plot and were statistically as par with Sesbania co-culture + Pendimethalin (363.44 m-2 and 140.54 respectively). Higher and statistically similar grain yield was observed in Sesbania co- culture + Pendimethalin (4870kg ha-1) and Pendimethalin treated plots (4780 kg ha-1). The experiment concluded that there was reduction in yield by 66.78 percent due to presence of weed as compared to weed free. Pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin was most beneficial in terms of gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio compared to other weed management practices and hence was most economical.

O PROJETO DE ASSENTAMENTO CONJUNTO TERRANOVA I NA BORDA MERIDIONAL DA AMAZÔNIA MATO-GROSSENSE: efeitos territoriais da ocupação

THE TERRANOVA I JOINT SETTLEMENT PROJECT ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF MATO GROSSO AMAZON: territorial effects of occupationEL PROYECTO DE ASENTAMIENTO CONJUNTO TERRANOVA I EN EL BORDE MERIDIONAL DE LA AMAZONIA MATO-GROSSENSE: efectos territoriales de la ocupaciónRESUMOO estudo analisa a relação sociedade/natureza e os efeitos territoriais decorrentes do assentamento via colonização oficial-particular na Amazônia, no Projeto Terranova I, na região norte de Mato Grosso. Situado no âmbito das políticas nacionais integracionistas da década de 1970, surgiu como resposta às demandas de campesinos gaúchos e sem-terra, em face dos problemas da modernização da agricultura sulista. A metodologia adotada se apoiou em entrevistas, registro de narrativas e observações de campo. Os resultados apontam que o desmatamento civilizador conduzido pelo pragmatismo economicista ocasionou a total supressão da floresta originária, diminuiu a fauna e adulterou os recursos hídricos na área. O solo, destinado à agricultura familiar, poucos anos depois, teve uso suplantado pela monocultura de pastagens à pecuária bovina extensiva. Registra-se que houve pouco amparo governamental, ausência de assistência técnica e de gestão ambiental, o que potencializou a apropriação com intensa degradação e graves implicações ecológicas e socioeconômicas. Conclui-se que, passadas quatro décadas, o assentamento rural revelou insustentabilidade das práticas produtivas e problemas de fixação do camponês à terra. Palavras-chave: Amazônia; Assentamento Rural; Degradação Ambiental; Fronteira Agrícola.ABSTRACTThe study analyzes the society/nature relationship and the territorial effects resulting from the settlement via official-private colonization in the Amazon, in the Terranova I Project, in the northern region of Mato Grosso. Situated within the scope of the national integrationist policies of the 1970s, it emerged as a response to the demands of gauchos and landless peasants, in the face of the problems of the southern agriculture modernization. The adopted methodology was based on interviews, recording of narratives and field observations. The results show that civilizing deforestation driven by economicist pragmatism caused the total suppression of the original forest, reduced fauna and adulterated water resources in the area. The soil, destined for family farming, a few years later, had its use supplanted by the monoculture of pastures to extensive cattle ranching. It is noted that there was little government support, absence of technical assistance and environmental management, which increased ownership with intense degradation and serious ecological and socioeconomic implications. It is concluded that, after 4 decades, the rural settlement revealed unsustainability of the productive practices and problems of fixation the peasant to the land.Keywords: Amazon; Rural Settlement; Environmental Degradation; Agricultural Frontier.RESUMENEl estudio analiza la relación sociedad/naturaleza y los efectos territoriales resultantes del asentamiento a través de la colonización oficial-privada en la Amazonía, en el Proyecto Terranova I, en la región norte de Mato Grosso. Situada en el ámbito de las políticas nacionales integracionistas de la década de 1970, surgió como respuesta a las demandas de los gauchos y campesinos sin tierra, ante los problemas de modernización de la agricultura sureña. La metodología adoptada se basó en entrevistas, registro de narrativas y observaciones de campo. Los resultados muestran que la deforestación civilizadora impulsada por el pragmatismo económico provocó la supresión total del bosque original, la reducción de la fauna y la adulteración de los recursos hídricos de la zona. El suelo, destinado a la agricultura familiar, unos años más tarde, tuvo su uso suplantado por el monocultivo de pastos a la ganadería extensiva. Se observa que hubo poco apoyo gubernamental, ausencia de asistencia técnica y manejo ambiental, lo que aumentó la apropiación con una degradación intensa y graves implicaciones ecológicas y socioeconómicas. Se concluye que, luego de 4 décadas, el asentamiento rural reveló insostenibilidad de las prácticas productivas y problemas de fijación del campesino a la tierra.Palabras clave: Amazonía; Asentamiento Rural; Degradación Ambiental; Frontera Agrícola.

Cattle barn bedding from recycled manure: some veterinary, technological and economic aspects of application

Agriculture modernization is a topical issue for both the global and domestic economy. Intensification of livestock farming results in an increased production of manure. Recycling of manure into bedding is one of the modern utilization technologies. National regulations do not specify requirements for currently applied bedding types, including manure-based bedding. The foreign experience, however, demonstrates several economic, zootechnical and hygienic advantages of this material. The field veterinary study revealed the positive health effect of bedding. The cows housed without bedding featured threefold higher risk of surgical diseases of limbs. Technical and economic assessment of a dairy farm with 1000 dairy cows showed the following annual operating costs when the major part of manure was passively composted and a part of manure was recycled into the bedding by (1) aerobic solid-state fermentation in a chamber fermenter and finish drying in a dryer drum – 24.2 million roubles; (2) aerobic solid-state fermentation in a drum fermenter – 21.7 million roubles; and (3) thermal drying in a dryer drum – 27.5 million roubles. At the same time, if all manure produced was composted and the bedding was purchased from external sources, the costs would be 27.9 to 35.2 million roubles depending on the bedding material.

Entrepreneurial behavior of large cardamom growers: A case study in Lamjung district of Nepal

Study on entrepreneurial behavior of large cardamom growers in Lamjung District, Nepal was conducted from December 2017 to June 2018 in Marshyangdi Rural Municipality of Lamjung district. The Rural Municipality was selected purposely for the study due to the recent establishment of Cardamom Zone under Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project in the Municipality focusing on large cardamom development. Altogether 80 large cardamom growers were selected randomly from 454 large cardamom growers of the study site. Data were collected through household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interview, personal observation and other secondary sources. Results showed that a greater proportion of large cardamom growers were found to have medium level of innovativeness (45%), decision making ability (51.2%), information seeking ability (48.8%), risk orientation (46.2%), leadership ability (43.8%), achievement motivation (46.2%) and low management orientation (56.3%) which contributed to the overall medium entrepreneurial behavior (47.5%) of large cardamom growers in the study area. About 35 percent of farmers were belonging to the low entrepreneurial behavior and only a few numbers of farmers (17.5%) were under high entrepreneurial behavior category. The high number of farmers with low and medium entrepreneurial behavior and low number of farmers with high entrepreneurial behavior has resulted in poor commercialization of large cardamom in the study area. Educational status, land holding, extension participation, economic motivation, experience in large cardamom farming and area of large cardamom cultivation were found to have significant correlation with the entrepreneurial behavior of large cardamom farmers while age had negative and significant effect. There is still scope to increase the number of large cardamom farmers with high entrepreneur behavior for commercializing large cardamom in the study area but programs should be designed and implemented accordingly.

Needs of Effective Water Conservation

The earth’s supply of fresh water is fixed. Its distribution is skewed spatially and temporarily. The maximum usage of water withdrawals is by agricultural sector for irrigation. It is socially, economically and culturally entwined with the lives of people. In the course of irrigation development many irrigation projects have been evolved across India. There are various irrigation techniques followed in different parts of India. The continued growth of population, industrialization, urbanization, climate change, emission of greenhouse gases and deforestation build up pressure on available water resources and arable land for food production. It is further worsened with crop production loss, deterioration of water sheds, disappearance of wetlands and reoccurrence of erratic monsoon. The fall of ground water table, deterioration of quality water, salinization, soil degradation, water logging and irrational use of water emphasized the need for conservation of irrigation water sources. While we have adopted many conservation measures like artificial recharge scheme, percolation ponds, check dams, irrigated agriculture modernization and rehabilitation works on the one side, the problem of irrigation water scarcity and shortage in the availability of quality water still persists. Hence, an attempt has been made to study the need s and effective management on conservation of irrigation water resources.

Value chain analysis of ginger in Panchthar District, Nepal

The study was conducted to assess the value chain of ginger sub-sector in Hiliyang Rural Municipality, Panchthar District, Nepal. The study was conducted in ward No 6 and 7 of Hiliyang Rural Municipality under the area of block of ginger under Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project. The methodological tools such as household survey with 60 ginger producers using interview schedule, key informants interview and rapid market appraisal with ginger producers and focus group discussion among local traders, local collectors, and district level traders were used to collect information. The ginger producers were sampled using random sampling technique and the data were collected in 2018, Feb-June. It was found that majority of the respondents had agriculture as their primary occupation with average land holding area 0.944 ha with average ginger production area 0.088 ha. The average yield of the ginger was 12.40 MT/ha with average cost of production of ginger Rs.17.68/kg. Majority of the respondents had known about the trending price of ginger via local collectors and traders. Fresh ginger was the only product exported from the district as value addition was very nominal. Only cleaning, sorting and packaging activities were performed by the farmers who sold their produce to local traders who in turn supplied to exporter of Birtamode. The trend of ginger cultivation was found to be decreasing. Low as well as fluctuating market price, lack of proper storage and processing facilities were regarded as major problems in ginger marketing. Rhizome rot and Khumle kira was found as the main hindrance in ginger production. This research explored the existing scenario of ginger value chain and its major constraints in the study area.