Raju R

(During the Period of 2019-2023)

• Performance Assessment of Sub-surface drainage (SSD) Technology in Maharashtra: About 1.84 lakh ha cultivable land is under saline soils, affecting the food security and income stability of Maharashtra farmers. So far about 3065 ha salinity affected area has been reclaimed by SSD with 30m lateral spacing in Sangli district by the GOI. In recent years, Sugar factories in Kolhapur district initiated funding and implementation of SSD in about 1148 ha salinity affected lands. All new SSD projects in Maharashtra are planned with 15m lateral spacing, closed main drain and control valve in almost every farmers field. The estimated cost of SSD with 15m spacing was ₹2.43 lakh/ha. The per ha yield were 102, 108 and 127 tonne for 30m, 20m and 15m spacing, respectively. The higher net income of ₹58,642 and ₹41,166 can be obtained in 15m spacings as against 30m and 20m spacings. The average land value has been increased from ₹7.17 lakh/ha to ₹18.86 lakh/ha, indicating about 163% increase in market value of land after SSD implementation in the study area. The farmers’ perception study revealed that the cost of SSD and economic benefits are inversely related to spacing of lateral SSD pipes and vice-versa. Majority farmers (>80%) with 15m spacing agreed that SSD has high economic efficiency with higher scope for land improvement, increases yield and income and market value of land and it is a best practice for managing waterlogging and soil salinity. Farmers with 20m and 30m spacing also has similar opinion but to the lesser extent. Lack of institutional support in terms of providing credit as well as subsidy followed by the high rate of interest on institutional loan and higher cost of cultivation is a severe constraint as expresses by the SSD farmers.
• Impact Assessment of Sub-surface drainage (SSD) Technology in Karnataka: About 925 ha waterlogged saline soils has been reclaimed and ~650 farmers benefited with the SSD installation in UgarBudruk village in Belgaum district in Karnataka. The SSD technology was installed with 30m spacing during 2009-10 to 2012-13. While seeing the benefits/ performance of the technology, the individual farmers are coming forward for installation of SSD in their waterlogging and salinity affected lands (with 20m spacing) by investing their own amount though it is a capital intensive technology. The comparative study revealed that the yield advantage was about 17.5% higher in farmer’s scheme as compared to Govt. Scheme. The net returns were higher under farmer’s scheme (₹1,16,186) as compared to Govt. scheme (₹80,956). The input-output ratio was 1.46 and 1.63, respectively, for sugarcane produced under Govt. scheme and farmer’s scheme. The per hectare employment generation was about 186 and 195, respectively, under Govt. scheme and farmers scheme due to which the resource poor farmers earned ₹46,500 and ₹48,750, respectively. The economic viability analysis revealed that the net present worth is positive (₹2,99,576 and ₹7,56,015, respectively in Govt. and private schemes), Benefit-cost ratio of more than one (1.18 and 1.39), Internal rate of returns more than the existing bank rate (52% and 64%) and the least payback period (2 years each) indicates the economic viability of SSD projects in the region.
• The study on farmer participatory enterprise mix diversification model: On reclaimed sodic land, this model  showed that the overall input-output ratio obtained from 2 ha model was 1.52. The estimates of crop component and subsidiary components revealed that an input-output ratio of 1.38 and 1.59 respectively.
• Farmer’s FIRST project: The impact study on pressmud application in sodic soils under Farmers’ FIRST project in Kaithal district of Haryana revealed an incremental yield of 1.42 t/ha (wheat equivalent yield from rice-wheat system) and resulted in added economic benefits of ₹24,779/ha against the added cost of ₹4,920/ha. The incremental benefit-cost ratio was of 5.04. The economic feasibility analysis of the investment on recharge structure revealed that the Benefit-cost ratio of 1.93 and internal rate of return of 145%.
• Socio-economic Impact of Land Reclamation in India-A Success Story of ICAR-CSSRI: India has 6.73 M ha area is under salt-affected soils, out of which 3.77 M ha (66%) is sodic and 2.95 M ha (44%) is saline soils. These soils are spread over fifteen states along with the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The recent estimates indicated that, India losses annually about 16.84 million tonnes of farm production valued at ₹23,019 crores due to salt-affected soils. The ICAR-CSSRI is striving towards upliftment of salt affected resource poor farmers since five decades. The technologies developed and recommended by the ICAR-CSSRI for reclamation of salt affected soils viz., gypsum technology for sodic soil reclamation and subsurface drainage technology for saline soil reclamation. The land reclamation has significantly contributed in the reduction of production and income losses in the country. The socio-economic benefits attained from the adoption of land reclamation technologies are depicted in Fig.1. The current estimates of technology contribution at the National level are as follows;
• Total Area Reclaimed: About 21.43 lakh ha of salt affected area is reclaimed by using technologies recommended by ICAR-CSSRI, out of which 20.71 lakh ha is sodic and 0.72 lakh ha is saline land.
• Foodgrains Production: The estimated annual foodgrain production from the reclaimed area (estimates based on rice and wheat production) contributed to about 17.14 million tonnes, out of which the contribution from reclaimed sodic land and saline lands are 16.57 and 0.57 lakh tonnes respectively.
• Agricultural Income: The income generation due to agricultural production from the reclaimed land was estimated to about ₹32.04 thousand crores. The contribution of sodic and saline lands are 30.97 and 1.07 thousand crores respectively.
• Farm Employment Generation: About 26.36 crore mandays of farm labour employment was created annually by reclaiming salt affected soils in the country. The contribution of sodic and saline lands are 25.48 and 0.88 crores, respectively.
• Benefit to farm families: The estimates revealed that annually about 18.64 lakh farm families are benefited with the reclamation of salt affected soils in the country. About 18.01 and 0.62 lakh farm families are benefited with the reclamation of sodic and saline soils respectively. 
• Smallholders productivity and agricultural growth through technology, sustainable intensification and ecosystem services: The study is based on secondary data (2008-09 to 2017-18) on wage rates for agricultural and non-agricultural operations in rural India. Agricultural operations included ploughing, sowing, weeding and transplanting and harvesting, threshing and winnowing. Non-agricultural labour comprises the work done by carpenters, blacksmiths, masons and unskilled labourers. The real wage rates were computed by deflating the nominal wage rates with the consumer price index for agricultural labour (CPIAL). In the case of non-agricultural labour, the series was deflated with the consumer price index for rural labour (CPIRL),with 2014-15 as the base year in both scenarios. The wage data were collected from 25 agricultural and 12 non-agricultural operations. Apart from the conventional percentage, tabular and graphical analyses, the data were analyzed using Inequality in wage rates between agriculture and non-agriculture as well as among gender was analyzed using the Gini coefficient. The study revealed that inequality was less among different agricultural operations over the years but differed spatially. State-wise observations indicated a significant wage gap prevailed between gender and among agriculture vis-à-vis non-agriculture activities. Further, it was found that males were worse-off in non-agriculture activities while females were better-off in non-agriculture in general, with some exception of states. Rise in productivity was a crucial factor for growth and a major driver for the increase in the real income of rural labourers. Furthermore, growth in the non-farm sector increased, which led to a positive effect on the rise in rural wages and the livelihood security of the rural economy. The study recommended policy prescription in implementing the minimum wage law effectively across states. On par wages between gender doing the work of equal value would significantly bridge the wage gap and reduce the current level of inequality.
• Commercialization and of Impact of improved agricultural technology: Wheat is an integral part of food as well as nutrition security holding a significant share in the consumption basket. Hence, any extreme deviations in the staple food price will affect the prospects of the economy. In the context, the study analysed the price dynamics and price volatility in Indian wholesale wheat markets. The study sourced monthly data (July 2002 to June 2019) from the AGMARKNET portal for 15 states. Based on secondary data the study analysed compound annual growth rate, instability indices, and Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model. The research findings indicated that the wholesale price, as well as divergence between maximum and minimum price, was highest in the case of Kerala implying the non-production region. Monthly price indices (highest as well as lowest in Haryana respectively, during December: 109.90 and July: 91.48) exhibited a clear-cut seasonality attributed to the wheat arrivals post-crop harvest. Barring Maharashtra, the growth and variation in seasonal price indices were positive and relatively low respectively across markets. Corroborating the price trend, Kerala exhibited the highest volatility as evident by the GARCH model estimates, followed by Gujarat, Haryana and Chhattisgarh. Inter alia, volatility in wheat prices is directly linked to regional production. The study advocates for effective dissemination of market information such as price forecast, demand and supply to counter the price volatility as well as decision making for profitable agri-business.
• Impact evaluation studies of IARI varieties distributed to SC farmers in different locations around NCT Delhi: The field survey was conducted for the collection of primary data from 150farmers in Aligarh and Ghaziabad districts of Uttar Pradesh. Primary data on IARI varieties (the recent most popular v/s old popular varieties were analyzed to assess the impact of varieties mostly preferred by farmers in recent days. The study was carried out under SCSP plan of IARI.
• Impact of Rice varieties: The recent most popular rice variety PB 1718 has 8% yield advantage, with 3% lesser cost of cultivation, it provides 16% higher net returns as compared to PB 1121.The study area farmers prefers PB 1718 over PB 1121 for its attributes such as higher yield potential, long slender and good quality grains, resistance to bacterial leaf blight & blast disease, etc.
• Impact of Wheat varieties: Though there is not much significant difference in cost of cultivation, but due to higher yield potential (7%), HD-3226 gives about 23% higher net return as against HD-2967. As compared to previous years, there was 5-10% reduction in wheat yield (irrespective of varieties) due to heat stress and non-availability of MSP, lead to lower returns in 2022. The study area farmers prefers HD-3226 over HD-2967 due to its higher yield potential, early sown, good grain appearance, good quality chapatti, suitable variety for zero tillage (conservation) agriculture, dense spikes with more grains, etc.
• Impact of Mustard varieties: The mustard variety PM-30 has about 6% lesser yield and 14% lesser net returns than Pusa Vijay. But due to its early maturity, bold grain, high oil content and low erucic acid, this variety needs proper market promotion. In general, the beauty of IARI Mustard varieties are the pods starts from stem, which restricts plant height and leads to uniformity of plants and hence no lodging of crop.
• The study also indicated that the IARI varieties are gaining popularity among the SC farmers as majority of them expressed awareness about IARI varieties after the introduction of SC-SP scheme in the study area. Almost all the respondents expressed 100% satisfaction level in cultivating IARI varieties and majority of them expressed no/less constraints in cultivating IARI varieties. The latest varieties of rice (PB-1718) and wheat (HD-3226) crops have shown higher yield potential of 7-8% and hence promises higher net returns to the farmers. However, the mustard variety (Pusa Mustard-30), though it has lesser yield potential, it needs to be promoted with better marketing strategies based on human health concern as it has less erucic acid.