2024, Vol. 7, Special Issue 4

Particularly ITKs pertaining to soil and water conservation are being practiced in various localities in different agro ecosystems. Each set of ITKs are suitable only to the selected area and many a times cannot be replicated. The present study aims at documenting, study the relevance and assess the impact of ITKS in soil and water conservation using snowball sampling technique. A total of 120 farmers were interviewed in 3 villages and 2 talukas spread across Bagalkote district adopting expost-facto research design. A semi structured schedule was prepared with the help of experts in the concerned fields. Participant observation and personal interview method with the help of the schedule was used for data collection. The present study was initiated during the year 2017-2019. Frequency percentages were used to interpret the data. Results revealed that, among the ITKs on soil conservation, preparatory tillage (100%) was performed by all the farmers under the study area followed by earthen bunding and field bunding (66.6%). Vegetative barrier adopted by (33%), stone bunding (30%), while compartmental bunding (8.3%), cover crops (9.6%) and bench terrace (4.16%). Similarly, for ITKs on water conservation measures, farm pond was adopted by 54% of the farmers followed by percolation pond (50%). Rest of the measures like earthen check dam runoff storage structure and groundwater recharge were adopted by the (16.66%) 12.5 percent and 10.83 percent respectively.

Similarly, under the category of ITKs on soil health measures, application of FYM and preparatory tillage were adopted by all the farmers followed by application of sheep and goat manure (80%) and finally the application of tank silt (29.16%) wherever possible. The study explored the rationale of these ITKs as perceived by the farmers. It was revealed that, promotion of infiltration increases the groundwater recharge (60%), biofencing with vegetative barriers (30%), reduction in soil erosion (8%), retaining soil organic matter and reducing the velocity of water run off were the reasons for adopting the ITKS on soil conservation. The rationale for adopting ITKs on soil health management revealed that, application of Farm Yard Manure and sheep and goat manure improves soil fertility, (100%), summer ploughing eradicates weeds and controls pest (100%),application of tank silt improves soil fertility (29%).

The impact of ITKS on yield levels of Kharif and Rabi crops (Greengram and onion as kharif crops sorghum and Bengalgram as Rabi crops) was analyzed and presented in the paper.