Unraveling the potential of soybean in south-eastern Rajasthan

Abstract

India, with about 20% of the oilseed area and 10% of production, ranks 4th globally. The area and production of oilseeds have grown significantly over the last 30 years, however, compared to paddy and wheat, the growth of oilseeds has been less pronounced, with wide variability in yield across states. The major causes of poor productivity include traditional practices, use of farm-saved seeds from old varieties, cultivation under input-constrained conditions, and the struggle to combat biotic and abiotic stresses. One of the innovations in the frontline extension approach, implemented since 2016–17, was the use of FLDs in clusters instead of individual farmers’ fields. CFLDs were initiated under the ICAR-DA&FW collaborative project, implemented by frontline extension institutions at the district level. This proved an effective tool in educating farmers about improved cultivars and agro-techniques of oilseeds. During 2022, 725 CFLDs on soybean were conducted on 296 ha in south-eastern Rajasthan to popularise improved technologies among farmers. A full package of practices for soybean was demonstrated at farmers’ fields by KVKs. Results showed a yield advantage of 24.6% in demonstrations compared to farmer practices. The net return also increased by `12,959/ha with the demonstrations. CFLDs, while demonstrating the benefits of new technologies in clusters of adjacent areas, facilitated better learning among farmers, along with efficient use of resources and easy monitoring.