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AGROBIODIVERSITY HERITAGE SITE OF ZAHEERABAD, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh 50% of the population, i.e. about 100,000 people out migrate every year from Narayankhed area comprising the agro-ecologically contiguous mandals of Narayankhed, Manoor, Kalher and Kangti. 3. Agro-ecology of the proposed area: The proposed Zaheerabad Agro-Biodiversity Heritage Site falls under the Agro-ecological Mapping Zone Code 7 (K6D2). This Zone is characterized as HOT SEMI-ARID ECOREGION WITH RED AND BLACK SOILS, is spread across the parts of the Deccan plateau (Telangana) and major parts of Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. The climate of the district is characterised by a hot summer and generally dry weather, with some pleasing showers, expected during the south-west monsoon season. The year may be divided into three seasons, viz., Winter season (November-February), Summer season (March-May) and South-West monsoon season (June-October). The hills that are of considerable size in the forest divisions are in a state of erosion due to the lack of conscious conservation and management approaches. Especially the Zaheerabad area, the forest areas are vast stretches of treeless tracks subjected to heavy soil erosion. The rural poor depend on these forests for fuelwood and fodder. Agriculture is essentially subsistence in nature since most farmers are smallholders with dry plots. Landless labourers and marginal farmers make up the bulk of the poor. Feudal legacy, unequal land distribution and high incidence of bonded labour have had great impact on the livelihoods of the area. It is no wonder this rocky and undulating terrain is among the poorest region of Andhra Pradesh. The major agro-ecological challenges in the region can be best summarised as: (a) High runoff during rainy season leads to severe soil and nutrient loss both in the Red and Black Soil areas; (b) Under irrigated agriculture, unjudicious use of irrigation water and imperfect drainage conditions result in high groundwater table leading to subsoil salinity and sodicity, especially in the Black soil areas; (c) Deficiency of N, P and Zn in soils results in nutrient imbalance and; Frequent droughtiness results in crop failure in some years. In spite of all these handicaps, and the predominance of rainfed agriculture and semi-arid environment, the district produces 160 kg per capita food grains, which is a testimony to the strength of the farming systems practised by the farmers. 11
AGROBIODIVERSITY HERITAGE SITE OF ZAHEERABAD, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh Section-III: Uniqueness of Agro-biodiversity in the Zaheerabad region In the Zaheerabad region the key to traditional farming in the villages is a combination of strategies that put to use different ‘types of land’ for growing ‘diverse landraces’ to best suite the climatic conditions during ‘two growing seasons’ in a year. soil conditions. Type of land and soil: Land types and diverse seed varieties are critical aspects of traditional farming, where lands are primarily distinguished based on their soil color, texture, fertility and depth. It is further important to note that farmers classify their farmlands in a manner that ascertains the fertility and moisture holding capacity of different land types, which further also, enables them to select suitable crop combination of landraces that are ideal for specific Classification based on soil by the farmers in the Zaheerabad region: farmers primarily differentiate lands based on soil colour into Yerra (red soils) and Nalla (black soils). With in each primary category they identify several sub-types like: Yerra garubu (these are red lateritic soils with high silt contend and have poor fertility and moisture retention capacity) and; Manchi Yerra bhoomi (these land are red clay loams with relatively high clay content, good drainage, fertile and better water retention). As for the black soils are like Nalla ragadi (these lands are fertile deep clayey black soils with very good water retention capacity) and; Nallapenka (that has mixed soil types and is mixed clay loams with good drainage, high in fertility and good moisture retention capacity). Finally some the mixed soil types that are considered to be poor in fertility and degraded land are known here as Padu bhoomi (these are shallow sandy with mixed soils which are low in fertility and have very poor moisture retention capacity) and; Choudu bhoomi (these are saline soils with low fertility and difficult to cultivate). Farmers int the Zaheerabad region make use of all kinds of land conditions ranging from shallow to deep, fertile to infertile or rocks and clayey – instead of thinking these condition as barriers – look for solution from the surrounding plants and 12
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