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Crop Diversification in the Asia-Pacific region - United Nations in ...

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dra<strong>in</strong>ed and rice on poorly dra<strong>in</strong>ed land classes. Although farmers preferred to cultivate rice<strong>in</strong> all land classes irrespective of <strong>the</strong> hydrological regimes, government policies and <strong>the</strong>attractive prices for non-rice crops, which expanded <strong>the</strong> marg<strong>in</strong> of profit encourag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>m togrow non-paddy crops <strong>in</strong> well dra<strong>in</strong>ed land classes.There are nearly 80,000 ha of well dra<strong>in</strong>ed lands <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> major irrigation schemesavailable for upland crop cultivation and from this 12,000 ha of lands are at present undersugar cane and a sizeable portion has been cropped with banana. Rice and o<strong>the</strong>r annual fieldcrops could be cultivated alternatively <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> wet and dry seasons <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> landavailable. Cultivation of annuals <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> dry season saves water for <strong>the</strong> wet season rice crop.Grow<strong>in</strong>g field crops <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> wet season is often hampered by heavy ra<strong>in</strong>s experienced due to<strong>the</strong> build up of excess moisture <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> root zone forc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> farmers to cultivate rice <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>wet season.There are a few o<strong>the</strong>r sub-patterns that could also be identified with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>diversification <strong>in</strong> major irrigation schemes (Figure 1).Figure 1. Schematic Representation of <strong>the</strong> Different <strong>Diversification</strong> Patterns<strong>in</strong> Major Irrigation SchemesSep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul.Aug.i. Semi-perennial irrigated crops <strong>in</strong> well dra<strong>in</strong>ed and rice <strong>in</strong> poorly dra<strong>in</strong>ed land classes.ii. Wet season rice <strong>in</strong> all land classes and dry season non-rice annuals <strong>in</strong> well dra<strong>in</strong>edand rice <strong>in</strong> poorly dra<strong>in</strong>ed land classes.iii. Rice <strong>in</strong> both wet and dry seasons and a short duration gra<strong>in</strong> legume <strong>in</strong>-between <strong>the</strong>two seasons.The dom<strong>in</strong>ant crops <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> first sub-pattern are sugar cane, banana and papaw whilechillies, onion, groundnut, vegetables and gra<strong>in</strong> legumes are <strong>the</strong> dom<strong>in</strong>ant crops <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>117

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