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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the crop producti<strong>on</strong> system trough agr<strong>on</strong>omic measures <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> soil <strong>and</strong> water<br />

c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> adequately supplemented with mechanical measures such as<br />

c<strong>on</strong>tour bunding. bench terracing. etc. Agr<strong>on</strong>omic measures help c<strong>on</strong>serving<br />

water <strong>and</strong> reducing the evaporati<strong>on</strong> losses from the soil surface, improving soil<br />

structure, soil fertility, etc. The choice <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> appropriate vegetati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> cropping<br />

system depending up<strong>on</strong> the l<strong>and</strong> capability necessitates adequate l<strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>development</strong> works. L<strong>and</strong> preparati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> leveling including post harvest<br />

cultivati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> preparatory tillage results in enhanced water intake <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the soil ami<br />

sustains soil moisture status. The <strong>for</strong>mati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> appropriate seed bedsl ridges <strong>and</strong><br />

furrows matching the spacing requirements <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> crops help c<strong>on</strong>trol erosi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

increase water use efficiency.<br />

The physiological parameters affecting plant growth necessitates<br />

replenishment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> soil moisture <strong>and</strong> thereby help avoiding soil moisture loss due<br />

to evapo-transpirati<strong>on</strong> (ET). The moisture availability in the crop root z<strong>on</strong>e is<br />

positively related to the nutrient status. The total quantity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water required <strong>for</strong><br />

the essential physiological functi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the plantl crop is usually less than five<br />

per cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the total water absorbed <strong>and</strong> this entails three stages, viz., absorpti<strong>on</strong>,<br />

translocati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> transpirati<strong>on</strong>. This metabolism requires adequate <strong>and</strong> timely<br />

supply <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water to the crop root z<strong>on</strong>e, sufficiently c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>ed by OFD works.<br />

From the engineering perspective, c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water c<strong>on</strong>trol structures<br />

is essential <strong>for</strong> water delivery according to the crop water requirements per unit<br />

area as well as <strong>for</strong> the timely removal <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> excess water from the fields. On-Farm<br />

Development (OFD) works involving surface drainage. sub-surface or pipe<br />

drainage in adequate depth <strong>and</strong> width are important to let out water to the ayacut<br />

90

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