Farmers' participatory water saving research for enhanced sugarcane yield, water use efficiency and knowledge enhancement of growers in Indian sub-tropics

摘要

Farmers' participation is critical to improve on-farm water management, crop productivity and profitability. In the present paper, results of participator research conducted on water saving technologies at farmers' fields in two districts of Indian sub-tropics are discussed. A total of 100 participatory research experiments on four water saving technologies viz., ring-pit method of cane planting, trash mulching, skip-furrow method of irrigation and irrigation at critical growth stages of sugarcane (ICGS) were conducted during the period 2008-2011. Results revealed significant increase in crop yield, irrigation water use efficiency, benefit-cost ratio and farmers' knowledge. The highest increase in cane yield was recorded in ring-pit method of planting (96.4%) followed by skip furrow method of irrigation (38.8%), irrigation at critical growth stages (28.2%) and trash mulching (25.7%) over that of farmers' practice, however the last two were not significantly higher. Saving in irrigation water varied from 21.7 to 44.5%. Increase in irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was recorded highest in ring-pit method of planting (142.6%) followed by irrigation at critical growth stages (85.2%), trash mulching (72.4%) and skip furrow method of irrigation (68.9%). Highest improvement in benefit: cost (B: C) ratio was observed in trash mulch technology and the lowest improvement in ICGS. Improvement in B:C ratio under ring-pit system of planting and skip-furrow irrigation was statistically at par but significantly higher than that of farmers practice. Technology demonstrations significantly improved knowledge of the farmers as well as technology adoption rate. Highest enhancement in knowledge (96 %) was observed in the farmers who were demonstrated ring-pit planting technique. However, the rate of technology adoption was the highest (86%) for skip furrow method of irrigation.