In Jharkhand state, only 18% of area is cultivated, while 28% area is under forest and 31% are fallow. Mono-cropping mainly paddy still prevalent • Less developed irrigation system and poor rainwater management limiting factor. In recent years, pulses, vegetables and maize are getting attention of the farmers.

1. March2015
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Agricultural transformation in VDSA villages in Jharkhand
Abhay Kumar1
, RKP Singh2
, KM Singh1
, RC Bharati1
, Shiv Jee1
and BP Bhatt1
1
ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna; 2
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India
Introduction
• In Jharkhand state, only 18% of area is cultivated, while 28% area is
under forest and 31% are fallow.
• Mono-cropping mainly paddy still prevalent
• Less developed irrigation system and poor rainwater management
limiting factor
• In recent years, pulses, vegetables and maize are getting attention of
the farmers.
• Use of critical inputs in farming- Seed, fertilizer, irrigation are still at
very low level. Therefore, crop productivity is also low in the region.
Objective
• To examine the changes in cropping pattern in VDSA villages in
Bihar state
• to examine the trend of input-use in farming and crop yield in the
study villages.
Data and methodology
• Survey Area: Dubaliya, Hesapiri villages of Ranchi district and
Dumariya and Durgapur villages of Dumka district of Jharkhand
• Survey year: 2010-11 to 2013-14
• Sampling: Panel survey of 40 households from each village,
comprising 10 from each category viz.- labour, small, medium and
large category.
• Total sample size: 160
Results
Change in Cropping pattern
• Change in cropping pattern visible, but the changes mainly within
food grain crops
• Paddy and Pulses constituted about 90% of gross cropped area,
while wheat is not an important crop
• Maize an important multi-purpose crop in Dumka villages
• Potato and other green vegetable crops preferred in Ranchi district
to cater the demand in city
• Low milk-yielding livestock mostly depend on open grazing, as milk
consumption not preferred
• Area under fodder crop - negligible.
Share of different crops in Gross Cropped Area in VDSA villages
Ranchi district
Paddy
Wheat
Pulses
Maize
Mustard
Potato
Vegetables
Fodder & other
2013/14
2010/11
Dumka district
2013/14
2010/11
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
FerƟlizer-Ranchi FerƟlizer-Dumka SRR-Ranchi (%) SRR-Dumka (%)
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
FerƟlizer applicaƟon (kg/ha) and eed replacement rate (SRR)s
pfor addy crop in VDSA villages
0
50
100
150
200
HL(Mandays/ha)
Labour use-Human (HL), Machine (ML) and Bullock (BL) in
paddy culƟvaƟon in VDSA villages
0
50
100
150
200
ML/BL(Hours/ha)
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
HL- Ranchi HL- Dumka ML- Ranchi
BL- Ranchi ML- Dumka BL- Dumka
Distribution of rice area across different yield category, %
Rice- for consumption and making local alcoholic drink,
preferred by local natives
Rice-Ranchi district
<2 t/ha
2- 3 t/ha
3- 4 t/ha
> 4 t/ha
2010/11
2013/14
Rice-Dumka district
2010/11
2013/14
VILLAGE DYNAMICS IN SOUTH ASIA
Funding support:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Input-use and crop yield
• Fertilizer application in paddy crop significantly higher and growing
in Dumka district
• Availability of quality hybrid paddy seed better in Ranchi villages-
due to vicinity of state capital
• Use of human labour still very high in agriculture in both the
districts, mainly due to availability of family labour
• Use of machine labour still at very low level
• Rice yield improved significantly in Ranchi district due to adoption
of hybrid seed
Conclusions
• Huge opportunity to bring more crop area by rainwater management
• Pulses- crop of hope for rabi fallow
• Hybrid paddy- game-changer for rice growers in Ranchi district
• Popularization of horticultural crops and small ruminants can
improve rural economy
• Low preference for milk and milk products- one of the major
constraints in diversifying the income earning opportunities in
the region.