Enhancing agricultural productivity and rural incomes through sustainable use of natural resources in the Semi Arid Tropics

    Wani, S P and Dixin, Yin and Li, Zhong and Dar, W D and Chander, G (2012) Enhancing agricultural productivity and rural incomes through sustainable use of natural resources in the Semi Arid Tropics. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 92 (5). pp. 1054-1063. ISSN 0022-5142

    [img] PDF - Published Version
    Restricted to ICRISAT users only
    Download (314kB) | Request a copy

    Abstract

    BACKGROUND: A participatory watershed management approach is one of the tested, sustainable and eco-friendly options to upgrade rain-fed agriculture to meet growing food demand along with additional multiple benefits in terms of improving livelihoods, addressing equity issues and biodiversity concerns.RESULTS: Watershed interventions at study sites in Thailand (Tad Fa and Wang Chai) and India (Kothapally) effectively reduced runoff and the associated soil loss. Such interventions at Xiaoxincun (China) and Wang Chai improved groundwater recharging and availability. Enhanced productive transpiration increased rainwater use efficiency for crop production by 13–29% at Xiaoxincun; 13–160% at Lucheba (China), 32–37% at Tad Fa and 23–46% at Wang Chai and by two to five times at Kothapally. Watershed interventions increased significantly the additional net returns from crop production as compared with the pre-watershed intervention period. Increased water availability opened up options for crop diversification with high-value crops, including increased forage production and boosted livestock-based livelihoods.CONCLUSION: In dryland tropics, integrated watershed management approach enabled farmers to diversify the systems along with increasing agricultural productivity through increased water availability, while conserving the natural resource base. Household incomes increased substantially, leading to improved living and building the resilience of the community and natural resources. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

    Item Type: Article
    Divisions: UNSPECIFIED
    CRP: UNSPECIFIED
    Uncontrolled Keywords: Dryland agriculture; natural resource management; watershed; water productivity; resilience; China; India; Thailand
    Subjects: Mandate crops > Pigeonpea
    Mandate crops > Sorghum
    Others > Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
    Depositing User: Users 6 not found.
    Date Deposited: 06 Dec 2011 03:54
    Last Modified: 16 Sep 2013 12:57
    URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/4794
    Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.4721
    Projects: UNSPECIFIED
    Funders: Asia Development Bank
    Acknowledgement: Support from the Asia Development Bank in carrying out the present study in participatory watershed management is duly acknowledged
    Links:
    View Statistics

    Actions (login required)

    View Item View Item
    OAR@ICRISAT is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.