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Abstract
The study conducted in the Karaikal region of the Union Territory of
Pondicherry during 2004-05 has made a comparison of watershed and
conventional systems. The crop diversification index has been found 0.28
in watershed and 0.32 in the conventional system. The study has revealed
that nearly all the farmers in the watershed and only 40 per cent in the
conventional system apply organic fertilizers. Moreover, farmers apply
more fertilizers in the conventional (235 kg/ha) than watershed (210 kg/ha)
system. The index of yield stability for all the crops has been found to be
0.98 in the watershed and 0.84 in the conventional system. The gross
return has been found higher by 11.65 per cent, and net return by 32.18 per
cent in the watershed than the conventional system. The input self-sufficiency
ratio has been found to be 0.52 in the watershed and 0.47 in the
conventional system. The analysis has indicated that if the agricultural
income were considered, there has been no significant variation in food
security in the two systems. The analysis has further revealed that there is
a potential in promoting watershed system of farming for which it is
necessary to devise policies that will provide incentives to watershed
farmers both directly and indirectly. Until effective biological measures of
soil fertilization are introduced, polices could be adopted to promote the
application of biological and chemical fertilizers in a balanced way, so as to
maintain soil structure and sustain or increase crop yields.