Evaluation of farming systems of degraded lands of Yamuna ravines in Central India for income generation and sustainable livelihoods

Abstract

Among the various forms of land degradation, ravines are the worst manifestation of terrain deformation by water along with several river systems in alluvial zones of India. The households inhabiting ravine−affected areas have poor socio−economic status as well as poor resource endowment for livelihood. Though many studies have been conducted regarding socio−economic analysis of farming systems in India, there is a dearth of such studies of ravine affected areas for understanding income generation from these systems and dynamics of change in income due to change in number of farming system components, knowing the most profitable farming system, and suggest ways and means to make the profitable systems more sustainable. Based on primary data of sampled 320 farmers of the area, crop−horti−livestock farming system was identified to be the most profitable as compared to crop only and crop−livestock farming systems for marginal, small and medium categories of farmers Increase in number of farming components decreased the contribution of off−farm sources of income for all farm categories; however, the agricultural income even from the most profitable farming system was not sufficient for marginal farmers to carry it above the poverty line of Rs. 32 only in rural areas Suggestions have been made for augmenting agricultural income, particularly of the marginal and small farmers, and making it sustainable.