Bunding in Deep Black Soils of Andhra State

Abstract

An interesting article on bunding of deep black soils of Bombay State appeared in July 1955 issue of Journal of Soil & Water Conservation in India. Bunding has been done in Andhra in deep black soils. The salient features and ex- perience gained in this State which may be useful to other soil conservation workers is given in this article.

Black soil is the principal soil group of the State occupying about 47 per cent of the 15 million acres under cultivation. Out of the 15 million acres under cultivation in the State, million acre.s are under cultivation in Rayalaseema which is the chief scarcity tract of Andhra. The average total annual rainfall in Rayalaseema is about 25 inches. The two marked characteristics of the rainfall from the agricultural point of view are its irregn!ac distribution over the seasons and its liability to failure or serious deficiency. The number of rainy days are very few and it is not uncommon to receive torrenital rainfall within a few hours. The area under irrigation in Rayalaseema is the least in the State being less than 20 per cent of the cultivated area. \Vant of assured and dependable irrigation facilities necessitate the ryots in this tract to depend mostly on rain for cultivation of crops. Hence the nature of precipitation decides the failure or success of farming in this tract.

The possibilities for extension of irrigation are limited. Rayalaseema, therefore, con- stitutes the chief scarcity tract of Andhra which is in need of soil and moisture con- servation measures more than other areas. Out of million acres under cultivation in Rayalaseema, 3 •4 million acres are under black soils. The importance of implementing soil and moisture conservation measures in black soils is thus seen