Designing of a Self-reliant Farming System for Small Holder Farm in High Rainfall Areas

Abstract

Feasibility of a self-reliant farming system along with design aspects was worked out for small holder farm (1ha) in high rainfall areas (1500 mm). Vermicompost need was low when estimated based on the recommended dose of  N, P and K as compared to the concept of nutrient removal. Amount of vermicompost required for meeting nutrient requirement of rice-legume cropping system (rice-blackgram 5.1 t ha^-1 and rice-groundnut 8.8 t ha^-1) may be based on amount of N removed to strike a balance between high requirement for K and low requirement for P. For rice-maize cropping sequence, vermicompost need may be 12 t ha^-1 by striking a balance between nutrient removal concept (15.9 t ha^-1) and state recommendation (7.7 t ha^-1). Growing of crop for rice, inclusion of legume crop after rice and production of vermicompost is likely to meet the plant nutrient requirement. In 1 ha rainfed farm, 90% area can be used for field crop including legume shrub and fodder on field bund. Remaining 10% area for water harvesting pond and dyke. After harvest of rice, growing of  blackram (45% area), groundnut (15% area) and spring maize (30% area) could meet animal feed besides the demand for farm family. To produce 8 t vermicompost, raw materials can be obtained from boundary plantation of (10 t fresh vegetation from 4 cuttings of 500 trees @5 kg tree^-1) and raw cow dung and bedding material.