1368 from tomato-French bean-cabbage. The net annual income for capsicum-tomato-lettuce sequence was worked out as Rs. 109.10 per m2 of land area whereas for tomato-french bean- cabbage sequence net annual return per m2 land area was calculated as Rs. 76.0. Overall Benefit: Cost (B: C) ratio of the production system was calculated by following discounting technique. For the analysis cost of construction of low-cost polyhouse, its annual maintenance cost, and cost of crop cultivation including labour and inputs costs, and net return based on prevailing market price of the produce was considered. The service life of the polyhouse was considered as 5 years with one major repairing in 3rd year. The B: C ratio for capsicum-tomato-lettuce sequence was calculated as 2.1 and 1.7 for tomato- French bean-cabbage.
provided time to time, trainings were organized to upgrade the knowledge and skill. Male and female farmers were given due consideration. Most of the social institutions restriction, respect empowerment and needs were taken in to consideration during the programme.
(a) Meghalaya
A study in ICAR managed watershed indicated that the 48% farmers belonged to the more than 40 years age group having medium family size with primary level education. The main occupation of all the farmers is farming growing paddy, maize, vegetables and rearing pig and poultry. Crop and horticulture based systems were found sustainable.
All the farmers were the members of the farmers association.
The watershed programme implemented by the State Govt. indicated that the old people, with medium family size, had farming as occupation.
Paddy, maize, broomstick, vegetables, pig, poultry and livestock components were found in the watershed. DHOs and DAOs were the main source of information. The participation of farmers was maximum in the durbar and church.
(b) Mizoram
The majority of farmers belonged to medium age group, having medium family, high school level education, farming as main occupation, growing paddy, maize, vegetables, rearing pig and poultry.
Crop and horticulture based systems were common.
Majority of the farmers were members of the club having poor information network.
(c) Nagaland
The majority of farmers in ICAR watershed belonged to the old age group having medium family size with primary level education. The main occupation of all the farmers is farming growing paddy, maize, vegetables, rearing pig, fish and poultry. All the farmers were the members of the cooperative society.
3.Participation level of farmers and implementing agencies in watershed management.
It revealed from following tables that almost all the farmers participated in the land preparation,
seed arrangement and marketing of produce all the selected watersheds. The minimum participation was observed in use of fertilizers, pesticides, horticultural crop etc. This may be due to the dependency on the implementing agencies for seedlings and other inputs.
4. Peoples participation in crop production activities
It was noted that the majority of farmers in watershed were fully participating in the programme, 72% farmers were fully participating in deciding of need based crop. Similarly, 36%
farmer of state department’s watershed were fully participating in programme and deciding of cropping system for sustainability. It was due to the need of farmers as per their economic conditions. In Nagaland, 73% farmers were supporting fully for crop production technologies.
They felt that scientific package of practice would help in increasing of production.
5. Peoples participation in livestock rearing activities
It was found that the majority of farmers (75%) were partially participating in the watershed programme for increasing production and productivity of pig,56% adopting the recommended practices and 93% agreed for fully participating in the management of livestock. Mizoram farmers agreed to participate in taking care of livestock.
87% farmers of Nagaland taking care of livestock themselves and 60% farmers partially participated in establishment of livestock unit in watershed.
There is need to motivate farmers of Mizoram to participate more in the watershed activities.
6. Peoples participation in soil and water conservation activities
The research revealed that the majority of farmers were partially participating in the soil and water conservation activities, planning and designing of programmes related to soil and water conservation. The participation of farmers in soil and water conservation was very poor. So there is need to motivate the farmers for active participation.
7. Use of soil and water conservation practices The study showed that 92% users group adopted intercropping followed by 69% contour farming and 65% cover crops in the watershed area. Non- users group was practicing intercropping (80%) and other measures were not seen. The same findings were found in other states. It showed that the watershed programme has motivated all the beneficiaries and need to be implemented in other places also.
8. Participatory decision making
It is seen that ICAR implementing agency is using more participatory approach in comparison to the state department.
9. Views of farmers toward watershed programme
64% farmers were of the opinion that traditional farming system was given low consideration by implementing agencies. Farmers said that high level of awareness was created among the beneficiaries and 82% accepted as aware about the programme. 72% farmers expressed their views that women were given due consideration. It is helpful in conservation of soil and water. However , non beneficiaries were of the opinion that high level of attention has been given towards the number of crops, technologies suitable for the farming in the Meghalaya. Further informed that beneficiaries of Mizoram were less aware about the programme 42% non beneficiaries informed that traditional system was taken into consideration.
In Nagaland, a high level of awareness was created.
60% farmers were in the opinion that traditional farming system was not taken into consideration while implementing the watershed programme. The same reply was given by the non beneficires.70 % farmers agreed that flexibility was of the programme. It has increased the income and employment. 80% farmers were of the opinion that productivity and production has increased by introduction of programme.
10. Benefits provided to the users group and not users group
Results indicated that ICAR imparted training on soil and water conservation to 86% users group and 12% non users group. 90% users group and
30% non users group were provided training on package of practices of different crops. The state department provided training to 62%users group and 2% non users group on soil and water conservation and 80%users group and 15% non users group on package of practices. The seed was provided to all the beneficiaries but only 20% non beneficiaries were covered. The same trend was observed in other states also. The results indicate that watershed programme should be extended.
11. Withdrawal effects of watershed programme Farmers of all the selected state were continuing the programme with the same tempo created during the programme. All the farmers have shown their happiness and satisfaction towards the programme in the Meghalaya and Nagaland. It was observed that happiness and satisfaction was low in the state department watershed programmes. Most of the farmers were in favour of continuing of the programme.
12. Management of watershed after withdrawal by implementing agency
The results indicated that 76% farmers were managing the fund by themselves for continuing of all the components in ICAR watershed in Meghalaya. But in Nagaland this response was very poor. In case of state watershed programmes, 50- 90% farmers were managing the watershed component by themselves.
Farmers were very much confident about the ICAR implementing agency that inputs provided either free of cost or purchased by the farmers even after the withdrawal of programme. This may be due to the nearness of ICAR. Farmers (70%) from state department watershed replied that inputs were purchased from market. Regarding training programmes, farmers of ICAR (96%& 82%) and state department (80% & 90) informed that it is being provided time to time on different aspect of crop, horticulture, entrepreneurship and livestock management. Most of the farmers were selling their produce in the rural markets.
13. Achievement after implementing of watershed programme
It was seen that project had‘ more impact in the Nagaland in comparison to Meghalaya and
Mizoram. In general crop production and productivity, income increased and socio economic condition and living standard improved. The soil erosion was checked by adopting various measures.
14.Constraints perceived by the farmers The Meghalaya farmers perceived first and foremost problem in timely arrangement of seed followed by livestock related problem, on availability of FYM, training need and non availability of piglets. In case of Mizoram, farmers perceived water problem followed by road development, information regarding agriculture.
Farmers of Nagaland faced the problem of road development followed by seed arrangement, profitable system, non availability of inputs, timely and information related to agriculture. The overall problems were road development; livestock technologies, information regarding various programmes, seed arrangement timely and need based training programmes.
Strategies for effective implementation of watershed programme.
On the basis of results obtained in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland some strategies are being suggested for improvement of the watershed programme given below:
• All the farmers of village/watershed should be involved in the programme rather than emphasizing only on few progressive farmers.
• The potentiality of traditional farming system must be assessed before implementing watershed programme because that is sustainable system.
• Participatory approach should be applied to assess the natural resources and to evaluate the programme.
• Gender based intervention should be prepared through participatory mode in the presence of women and men.
• Implementing agency should maintain the relation after the withdrawal of project.
• Training component needs to be emphasized time to time.
• Information has to be provided time to time to the farmers regarding the new development programmes.
• The input agencies should be introduced with the farmers for timely supply of inputs.
• Linkages should be developed with the marketing agencies for remunerative process.
Generally it has been observed that the implementing agency emphasize on production of various crop, but they never bother for the marketing of produce.
• Implementing agency to stick with decisions taken during the meeting.
(2) Development of extension modules for production of demand driven commodities Socio economic profile of vegetables growers of Meghalaya
It was found from the table 1 that majority of vegetable growers belonged to the middle age group having medium size family, medium level Table 1. Socio economic profile of vegetables
growers of Meghalaya (N=120)
Varaibles Categories F P
Age Young (Up to 40) 32 26.67
Middle (41-50) 62 51.66 Old (51 and above) 26 21.67
Family Size Small 33 27.50
Medium 61 50.83
Large 26 21.67
Education Low 42 35.00
Medium 57 47.50
High 21 17.50
Land Holding Small 60 50.00
Medium 40 33.34
Large 20 16.67
Vegetables Tomato 160 83.34
Capsicum 60 50.00
French Beans 111 92.50
Chillies 40 33.33
Cauliflower 35 29.16
Cabbage 35 29.16
Ginger 119 66.16
Turmeric 52 43.33
Marketing Local Market 78 65.00
Weekly Market 75 62.50
Shillong Market 120 100.00 Regulated Market 40 33.33
Market Supplier Small 72 60.00
Medium 20 16.66
High 20 16.66
Prices Low 67 55.83
Medium 28 23.33
High 25 26.83
Social Participation Low 31 25.83
Medium 62 51.66
High 27 22.50
Mass Media Low 51 42.50
Medium 48 40.00
High 21 17.50
education, small size land holding. Major vegetables grown were tomato, capsicum, French bean sold in local market with the less remunerative prices. They have medium social participation and low mass media exposure.
Major crops grown
The farmers were growing tomato, capsicum tomato , capsicum, French beans, chillies, ginger, turmeric, cauliflower, pumpkin, brinjal. and cabbage for selling in the different markets. Beans, tomato and ginger were the major crops grown by more that 90 percent farmers given in the table 2.
Table 2. Major vegetables grown by the farmers (N=120)
Categories F P
Tomato 80 83.34
Capsicum 62 50.00
French Beans 87 92.50
Chillies 51 33.33
Ginger 93 77.50
Turmeric 48 40.00
Cauliflower 20 66.66
Pumpkin 36 30.00
Brinjal 24 20.00
Cabbage 25 20.83
Major markets for selling of produce by the farmers
The information presented in the table 3 indicated that the small and medium farmers were selling their produce in the local markets followed by Bara Bazar , Bhoirymbong markets. The large farmers were selling their produce in the Bara Bazaar, Bhoirymbong and some time in regulated
market also. This was because of low production in case of small farmers and high production in case of large farmers and more accessibility to the market.
Table 3. Major markets for selling of produce by the farmers (N=120)
Small Medium Large
F P F P F P
Local Market 101 84.16 98 81.66 10 8.33
Field 30 25.00 20 16.66 0 0.00
Bara Bazar 70 58.33 80 66.66 104 86.66 Umsung Market 10 16.66 30 25.00 40 33.33 Mawlasnai Market 20 16.66 30 25.00 40 33.33 Bhoirymbong Market 50 41.66 80 66.66 80 66.66
Mode of marketing
Most of the farmers were selling their produce individually in local market or in bara bazaar. Some farmers have made a self help group for selling their produce. Some farmers sell their produce to the collection center in the village. It can be said that there were changes in the marketing of produce.
Table 4. Mode of marketing (N=120)
Group 10 8.33
Individual 90 75.91
Seller in village 20 16.66
Training organized
Training programmes organized on different aspect of agriculture for farmers, NGOs, entrepreneurs, state government officials and other line departments.
Name of training Date No. of
Participants Training programme on rapid rural market survey 21 May 2007 32 Training programme on horticulture for 14&15,2007 40 Tripura farmers
Training programme on horticultural crops and 19-22 May 2007 43 post harvest management
Visit cum training programme on crop production 31.July 2007 64 for Tripura farmers
Training programme on biotechnology for students 8-12 October 2007 11
Sponsored training programmes, summer school/winter school / seminar/congress organized
Name of sponsored programmes Date No. of
participants Course was designed and taught to the B.Sc. students 24th March 2007 to 20 from College of forestry and Horticulture Pashighat, 1st April 07
Arunachal Pradesh, CAU
Organized model training course on integrated 17-24 July 2007 27 farming system for hill agriculture for state Govt.
Officials sponsored by Directorate Of Extension , New Delhi
Organized orientation programme for SMS of 21-28 August 2007 31 KVK sponsored by ZC Unit,Zone—III
Organized Training programme on development 03-06October 2007 33 of soil testing skills for educated rural youth for
generation of income and employment sponsored by NABARD,Shillong
Organized Training programme on Advanced 20-27November 2007 23 technology for off season vegetables under protected
conditions sponsored by Directorate of Extension , New Delhi
Provided assistance in organizing of 2nd Horticulture 18-21 April 2007 250 congress2007 held at ICAR Research Complex,
Umiam, Meghalaya