Introduction
A livelihood is a means of making a living. It encompasses people’s capabilities, assets, income and activities required to secure the necessities of life. A livelihood is sustainable when it enables people to cope with and recover from shocks and stresses (such as natural disasters and economic or social upheavals) and enhance their well-being and that of future generations without undermining the natural environment or resource base. Livelihoods options are shrinking in rural areas in general and more so in fragile eco-regions, such as drought, desert prone, hilly areas and other under developed /backward districts.
Various strategies were adopted to improve livelihoods including sustainable natural resource management, productivity and profitability enhancement, building support systems and institutions, and converging development agenda of different development agencies. The sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) is a way to improve understanding of the livelihoods of poor people. It draws on the main factors that affect poor people’s livelihoods and the typical relationships between these factors. It can be used in planning new development activities and in assessing the contribution that existing activities have made to sustaining livelihoods.
Dupahad Cluster: Baseline Survey and Socio-Economic Conditions
Dupahad cluster, in Nalgonda district has geographical area of 800 ha, spread over in 9 thandas (New banjara hills, Jamal kunta thanda, Seetamma thanda, Yellapa kunta Thanda, Chinnagore kunta thanda, Pedagore kunta thanda, Peda seetharam thanda, China Seetharam thanda, Lalsingh thanda), which are predominantly tribal Location of Dupahad cluster of Nalgonda district Composition of tribal households in the cluster of villages populated and rainfed..read more
Water based Interventions
National Agricultural Innovation Project was launched at Duphad cluster and another seven hamlets in Penpahad Mandal, 160 km away from Hyderabad. The population of nine Schedule Tribe (ST) thandas was 2,326. Around 92% populations are living below poverty line. The major source of irrigation in the cluster was open wells (165) and tube wells (67). Farmers preferred to grow paddy with the support of open wells and tube wells during Kharif and, paddy and vegetables depending on water availability during the Rabi season. Greengram, red gram, groundnut and vegetables were mostly grown in the rainfed area while paddy was practised under open wells and bore wells. The vegetables were cultivated under rainfed during Kharif season, while they are grown with the support of irrigation during Rabi and summer seasons.. read more
Participatory Soil Testing and Balanced Nutrition
Soil fertility requires nutrients to exist not only in sufficient quantities but also in balanced form. Balancing soils and achieving optimal soil nutrition will create more favourable soil conditions for better utilization of applied fertilizers and for a greater effect from organic/microbial-based products. Too much of one nutrient may lock up or interfere with the absorption of another. The soils of the rainfed regions are not only thirsty but are also hungry..read more
On-Farm Generation of Organic Matter and Soil Health Improvement
There are several strategies to improve soil organic carbon through which soil health can be improved. Better management practices (BMPs) that enhance soil health and allow sustained agricultural productivity need to be promoted in dryland areas.Activities that promote the accumulation and supply of organic matter, such as the use of cover crops, refraining from burning, and those that reduce decomposition rates such as reduced and zero tillage, lead to an increase in the organic matter content in the soil (Sampson and Scholes, 2000).. read more
Source-
- Central Institute of Dryland Agriculture
