Wadi Cultivation: A Promising Approach towards Improving Livelihood and Nutritional and Livelihood Security in Tribal Areas of Chhattisgarh Plain, India

ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 10 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com Wadi cultivation is a major programme of socio-economic rehabilitation of the tribals and other backward sections throughout the country. Wadi is not only a programme for providing food security and ecological restoration but it is also a strong foundation to build the local capabilities to initiate other community development programmes for socio-economic development and has relevance for all sections of the society feasible with ecological restoration with poverty eradication. Kitchen garden or backyard cultivation is locally known as wadi cultivation in Chhattisgarh. The area of wadi ranged from 0.10 to 1.00 acre with average of 0.56 acre and using for cultivation of vegetables and fruit plants. Wadi cultivation has tremendous potential for improving livelihood of smallholders. Mostly vegetable is grown and utilizing for domestic purposes but enterprising farmers are growing vegetables for selling purposes. In this study, 62 wadis were randomly selected respectively from Murltitola, Arajkund, Kaudikasa, Bhagwantola and Netamtola villages of Rajnandgaon district 2016-17 with objectives to promote this practice as enterprise for earning of the farm families after systematic economic analysis and policy support. Weekly input and output of Wadi cultivation was recorded from 62 farmers during 2016-17, thereafter, critical inputs like hybrid vegetable seed, irrigation and skill development on vegetable production were given (2016-17 to 201718) to the farmers as interventions for promoting productivity and assessing potential of the system. After two years, data were collected and analyzed and presented here with reference to baseline done in 2016-17. Major crops grown by the farmers were tomato, brinjal, cowpea, cauliflower, cabbage, coriander, chilli, bitter guard, lady finger, spinach, bottle guard, onion potato, radish, ginger and turmeric. The wadi area was divided for 2-4 crops in a season by the farmers depending on availability of resources and market. Significant improvement in vegetable yields was recorded before 2016-17 and after 2017-18 interventions. Annual net income from each Wadi system (0.48 acre) was Rs.39231 before intervention and Rs. 72395 after intervention under rainfed condition. Farmers (based on average of 62 farmers) were getting Rs. 130461 and Rs. 275610 before (2016-17) and after (2017-18) interventions under irrigation condition. The cropping intensity increased from 132 to 160 percent under rainfed condition whereas, under irrigated condition, the intensity improved from 236 to 270 percent. Farmers were harvesting produce daily and transporting throw cycles or motor cycles for selling in the local market. Thus, it can be concluded that the Wadi system is very attractive economically and nutritionally for survival and sustaining livelihoods of rural smallholder. K e y w o r d s Wadi, Livelihood, Vegetables, Farmers, Intervention, Rainfed, Irrigated Accepted: 07 September 2019 Available Online: 10 October 2019 Article Info Int.J.Curr.Microbiol. App.Sci (2019) 8(10): 817-822