Combating desertification through innovations in arid zone: Case study from Pali, India

Abstract

New approaches and technologies involving application of blended modern agroecological science and indigenous knowledge systems have shown to enhance food security while conserving natural resources and soil and water under stress conditions. Under hot arid zone of Thar desert Mr Rambharti a farmer of Pali India, decided to go for multifunctional agriculture and convert his barren area into an integrated farm, utilizing innovative approaches. Every year the farmer prepares his field in summer by deep ploughing and making deep ridges so that he can trap maximum rain water in his field for the upcoming crops. Crop rotation forms the basis of the farming system as crops are grown naturally without external inorganic inputs. The crops are grown in a unique rotation, which means that the same crop is grown in the same field only once every three years. Besides field crops incorporation of spice crops mainly cumin, fenugreek, fennel and ajwain plays a very important role in farm sustainability as spices are disease resistant, hardy and requires less water .Animal integrated farming forms the backbone of his agriculture providing him with milk, fibres and valuable organic waste rejuvenating his soils and increasing moisture retention. Under rainfed conditions he practice intercropping of green gram with sorghum and sesame which reduces the climate-driven crop failure as variety of crops have different climatic adaptability. Intercrops efficiently utilize the natural resources such as land, light, water and nutrient and increase biodiversity, productivity, resilience and stability of agroecosystem. In addition, crops facing threats from the same or similar pests are not grown in bordering fields or in a sequential season in the same field. Also crops requiring high nutrient inputs are not grown in sequence in the same field. The main crops are pulses, spices, barley, oats and wheat. Leguminous crops have less water requirement and fix nitrogen which the other nonlegume crops need. Hardy grasses planted at margins prevent run-off of minerals from the field into bordering ditches. In addition, they attract natural enemies for pests in the crops, provide habitat for pollinators and have an esthetical value as well. These practices have built soil organic matter and the soils are now self-enriched. Acacia trees planted on farm boundary acts as biological fence and as sink for carbon dioxide and exploit the ecological and economic interactions of the different components. Thus alternative agriculture in the form of multifunctional model integrating different components with farming produce sufficient yields by maintaining crop-fodder-livestock-forest plant diversities and manage equitable socio-economic access outcome to the poorest section of the society.