Modern agriculture - technology based Crop dominated land use Unsustainable production Soil degradation Loss of biodiversity

1. CROP DIVERSIFICATION
Presented by,
M. A. AMBIGA DEVI
III B.Sc., Agriculture
Adhiparasakthi Agricultural college

2. Introduction
• Modern agriculture - technology based
• Crop dominated land use
• Unsustainable production
• Soil degradation
• Loss of biodiversity

3. What is Crop Diversification ?
• Producing a variety of crops in a farm.
Two types
i. Horizontal diversification
ii. Vertical diversification

4. Need for Crop
Diversification
Sustainable
income
Ecological
balance
Employment
generation
Reducing
risk

5. Price
Resource
FACTORS

6. Strategies for crop diversification
• From high water requiring to water saving crops.
• Replacing low yielding low value crops to high
yielding high value crops.
• Intercropping / mixed cropping
• Shift high risk crops with short duration and
drought resistant crops

7. Steps in crop diversification
Delineate area
Choice of alternatives
Input & credit supply
Share the risk
Market support

8. Crop Diversification for States
Karnataka Oilseeds, Jowar, Rice, Pulses, Maize
Kerala Fruits and Vegetables, Jowar/Oilseeds, Rice, Pulses
Maharashtra Jowar, Oilseeds, Cotton, Pulses, Fruits and Vegetables
Goa Rice, Pulses, Coconut, Fruits and Vegetables, Oilseeds
Rajasthan Bajra, Oilseeds, Pulses, Wheat, Maize
Gujarat Oilseeds, Cotton, Rice, Pulse, Wheat,
Tamil Nadu Rice, Fruits & Vegetables, Oilseeds, Pulse
Meghalaya Rice, Fruits & Vegetables, Maize, Oilseeds, Cotton
Andhra Pradesh Rice, Oilseeds, Pulses, Cotton, Fruits & Vegetables
Source: Statistical Aspect of India, 1991 & Dept. of Agri. &
cooperation, Govt. of India, 2008-09.

9. Crop diversification using oilseeds
• Rice fallow - groundnut, soybean, sunflower, sesame etc.
• Intercropping
• Groundnut - sunflower
• Cumbu/sorghum - groundnut
• Groundnut - maize
• Pigeon pea - groundnut
• Cotton - groundnut

10. Crop sequence
– Cotton - groundnut
– Rice - soybean
– Rice - mustard - brinjal
– Rice - linseed
– Sorghum - sunflower - groundnut
– Soybean - wheat
– Rice - mustard - mungbean
– Groundnut - Sunflower

11. Example for Crop diversification
Conventional method
• Rice - Wheat
Crop diversification
• Rice - potato - sunflower
• Hybrid rice - vegetable pea - wheat - Veg. cowpea
• Maize + vegetable cowpea + sesbania - lentil + mustard
- green gram
• Maize + cowpea - wheat - green gram
• Sorghum + cowpea - maize + black gram - onion

12. Gangwar et. al, Modipuram (2008)
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
NETRETURN(Rs/ha)
CROPS
NET RETURN

13. Advantages
• Better use of inputs
• Less risk
• Maintenance of Soil fertility
• Buffering climate variability
• Pest suppression

14. Constraints
• Over 63 % of the cropped area - rainfed
• Inadequate resources
• Fragmentation of land holding
• Inadequate post-harvest technologies
• Weak extension linkages
• Poly phagous diseases and pests
• Decreased investments

15. Opportunities
• Due to Globalization
• Due to Emerging technologies
• Research and developmental support
• Institutional and infrastructure developments

16. Government Policies
• Implementing National Agriculture Insurance Scheme
• Creation of Watershed Development Fund
• Strengthening Agricultural Marketing
• Seed Crop Insurance
• Seed Bank Scheme
• Cooperative Sector Reforms

19. Thank you….!