Learnings of Kharif Paddy Stabilization under Central India Initiative

Learnings of Kharif Paddy Stabilization... Home

The action research studies undertaken under the initiative have broadly been able to divide the region in 4 Zones ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’. Each zone had strong specific recommendations to be implemented towards enhancing tribal livelihoods. In Zone ‘A’, during the research phase the study undertaken for understanding the issue of paddy production came up with observations that the production mostly suffers because of the unavailability of quality seeds and critical irrigation support during dry spells in monsoon.

With these observations, recommendations to initiate a Kharif Paddy Stabilization (KPS) strategy were made as part of Central India Initiative focusing in Zone ‘A’ comprising states of Orissa, West Bengal (Purulia and Bankura), Jharkhand and Chattisgarh. The key recommendations for promoting KPS in Zone ‘A’ are:

(1) focus on stabilizing the Kharif crops, mainly paddy productivity. This can be done through the creation of a plethora of decentralized water harvesting structures close to farms. These should be prolific and perhaps a structure may be created for every two hectares, preferably in a cascade; and 

(2) once the Kharif crop stabilizes and the tribal farmers feel much more secure about their food security, schemes that promote second crop cultivation will also find greater acceptance and could be promoted. Mainly vegetable cultivation with a strong market linkage needs to be promoted.