V.K. Choudhary, M. Kanwat and R. Bhagawati
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Arunachal Pradesh Centre, Basar
Introduction
The people of North East India represent fascinating variety of cultures. Shifting cultivation, locally known as jhum is a widely distributed form of agriculture in the upland areas of North-East India. The practice involves site selection, slash and burn, followed by mixed cropping for a year or two and fallowing for certain years for recuperation of the land (Tawnenga and Tripathi, 1997). Jhum plays an important cultural role in local customs, traditions, and practices, besides offering economic security to farmers. Agriculture is the main occupation of about 80% of the population of Arunachal Pradesh. Being a mountainous state, majority of them practice jhum along the mountain slopes. The shortening jhum cycle to =5 years on an average now is indeed a matter of concern. This is seriously impacting on the local livelihoods and environmental security in many pockets of the region. Considering the adverse impacts of the jhum such as loss of precious top soil, nutrients, forest biodiversity, destabilization of slopes and its low productivity, we need to develop and implement sustainable farming alternatives. If the jhum in its present form is allowed to continue, land degradation and the impoverished living conditions of resource-poor upland farmers are bound to worsen with time (Cairns and Garrity, 1999).
But the farmer who has minimal land available for cultivation, has no option but to come back to his or her land for cultivation, no matter how short the fallow period is.
Therefore, the urgent treatment is required to take care of those farmers. In this context, the present study was conducted.
Methodology
Soil condition of the experimental unit had great variability with temporal and spatial scale; it largely varied with origin from the parent materials and also on the fallow periods.
As per the need of site, various location specific treatments were followed. Among the treatments replacement of existing varieties with HYVs and hybrids, inclusion of sequential crops, soil and water conservation measures (mulching, grasses across the slope, contour bunding etc), in-situ nutrient management (by composting of weed biomass), integrated insect, disease and weed management etc were adopted. Most of the farmers used to dibble the seeds of mixture of crops on jhum. They were suggested to put the crops as per their suitability and in sequence (topo-crop sequencing). As per the requirements small height contour bunds were formed and grasses like guinea and broom grasses were planted across
the slope to reduce the free flow of water and erosion of soil. Broad spectrum pesticides were used to minimize the menace of insects and diseases. However, weed population were reduced by using herbicides. Weeds available at the site along with dung of mithun (Bos frontalis) and cow were used for composting and were recycled into the crops. Some of the leguminous sequential crops were introduced after slashing the paddy straw. The collected data from the field were used for statistical analysis and comparison.
Results
Seed replacement ratio
Farmers of the area used 88% local varieties and only 12% of high yielding varieties.
After the initiation of activity, firstly the least yielding varieties were surrogated with high yielding and hybrids and as per the acceptability of the farmers some of the local varieties were also allowed to grow on the site. Overall in the jhum land, about 46% of high yielding varieties, 24% of hybrids and 30% of local varieties were used.
Production analysis
Production analysis of improvement of cropping system in jhum land revealed that production increased with the activity followed in farmer’s field. The crops like blackgram, frenchbean, pea and soybean had registered absolute growth because farmers had not grown these crops earlier. However, cereals like rice and maize were recorded with 30 and 44%
higher yield, respectively. Similarly, sesame had 40% higher yield. Among the vegetables, okra, tomato, brinjal and chilli recorded 49.8, 41.8, 17.4 and 92.6% respective higher productivity Vegetables, cucurbits like pumpkin, cucumber, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, sponge gourd and ash gourd were produced with a yield advantage at 48.0, 50.4, 47.2, 113.8, 38.2 and 45.8%, respectively higher over pre project cultivation practices (Table 1). The main improvements in yield were due to use of high yielding varieties and hybrids, soil and water conservation measures, weed and nutrient management followed in the sites.
Livelihood analysis
It is evident from the table 2 that cost of cultivation, gross and net returns were higher after the intervention. The main reason for escalation of cost was due to more number of labour engaged in farm activity, use of costlier seeds and use of agrochemicals to minimize the incidence of insect, disease and weed. Similarly, B: C ratio was higher (1.33) than the normal practices followed on jhum. By inclusion of some of the crops on jhum land around 5.65 ha area was brought under cultivation during post monsoon. With these the 391 man days were used against 266 man days/ha/year. With the intervention initiated in jhum land, it generated the employment of 30.3%, with improvement of cropping intensity of 131.6%
and land were used to 281 days against 210 days/year with land use efficiency of 79.7%
(Table 2). With the intervention the land were used 22.2% more, which is a significant contribution made at the jhum site.
Table 1 Production analysis of beneficiaries of the jhum improvement
Name of crops Area (ha) Production (tones) Productivity (tones/ha)
Before After Before After
Cereals
Rice 4.99 4.94 7.12 1.10 1.43
Maize 1.66 2.66 3.82 1.60 2.30
Pulses
Black gram 0.67 - 0.36 - 0.53
Frenchbean 0.97 - 5.10 - 5.35
Pea 1.75 - 2.10 - 1.20
Soybean 1.40 - 0.87 - 0.60
Oilseeds
Sesame 0.65 0.14 0.19 0.22 0.28
Vegetables
Okra 1.83 (1.00 M and 0.83 PM) 9.15 14.52 5.00 7.49
Tomato 0.86 5.16 7.34 6.00 8.51
Brinjal 0.75 4.13 4.88 5.50 6.46
Chilli 1.40 (0.7M and 0.7PM) 2.66 4.99 1.90 3.66
Cucurbits
Pumpkin 0.52 6.24 7.76 12.00 17.76
Cucumber 0.75 3.97 5.95 5.30 7.97
Ridge gourd 0.64 3.00 4.46 4.70 6.92
Bitter gourd 0.80 1.68 3.59 2.10 4.49
Sponge gourd 0.50 3.10 4.19 6.20 8.57
Ash gourd 0.50 5.20 4.47 10.40 15.16
M: monsoon, PM: post monsoon ; 5.65 ha area is under second crop (0.97 ha frenchbean, 1.75 ha pea and 1.40 ha soybean, 0.7 ha chilli and 0.83 ha okra); Total area under cultivation before intervention was 17.85 ha and after intervention gross cultivation area increased up to 23.49 ha.
Table 2 Livelihood analysis of beneficiaries of the jhum improvement
Particulars Before After
Total area (ha) 17.85 23.49
Cost of cultivation (Rs/ha) 18400 23731
Gross return (Rs/ha) 35000 55167
Net return (Rs/ha) 16600 31454
Additional income (Rs/ha) - 14854
B:C ratio 0.90 1.33
Area under cultivation during post rainy season (ha) - 5.65
Man days required (man-days/ha/year) 266 391
Employment generation (%) - 30.3
Cropping intensity (%) 100 131.6
Land use (days) 210 281
Land use efficiency (land use/365) (%) 57.5 79.7
Soil and water conservation
Following practices were followed in jhum to restrict the loss of soil, nutrient, biodiversity etc
a) Growing of sweet potato: Most of the farmers plant sweet potato vines in jhum land. As per their belief, heavy growth of vines covers the soils early. Therefore, during intensive rains the top soils can be protected. Generally, farmer plant vines after establishment of all the important crops. Sweet potato is used for food (tuber), vegetables (vines), feed of pig and poultry (tuber) other than soil and water conservation.
b) Growing of grasses across the slopes: Some of the farmers of the area grow especially guinea grass and broom grass across the slope to prevent the soil and nutrient loss through runoff water.
c) Placement of slashed trees: In jhum land, after burning the slashed jungle the Jhumias keep the unburnt or half burnt tree trunks across the slope. These reduce the velocity of free runoff and also help the water to infiltrate and percolate by which soil and water are conserved. On the other hand, those tree trunks are important source of fuel throughout the year for the jhummias.
Conclusion
With the findings at the jhum land we infer that appropriate, soil and water conservation measures, with the judicious use of different varieties and other agricultural inputs not only increased the production and productivity but also helped in checking soil loss. This has contributed in improving the livelihood of the Jhumias.
References
Cairns M. and Garrity, D. P. 1999. Improving shifting cultivation in Southeast Asia by building on indigenous fallow management strategies. Agroforestry Systems. 47: 37–48
Tawnenga U. S. and Tripathi R S. 1997. Evaluating second year cropping on jhum fallows in Mizoram, North- Eastern India: Energy and economic efficiencies. Journal of Biosciences. 22(5): 605–613