systems of Rajasthan D. V. SINGH Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur ABSTRACT

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1 Annals of Arid Zone-21 (4), , ]982 Economics of mixed cropping systems of Rajasthan in the arid zone farming D. V. SINGH Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur ABSTRACT cropping is a common practice in the arid zone of Rajasthan on account of the "spreading risk" effect and fulfillment of the multiple requirements of the farmers. A study of 100 households from three clusters of two villages each in Jodhpur district reveals mixed cropping as relatively more popular system amongst small farmers and covers upto three-fifths of the gross cropped area. The income from mixed crops as compared with the sole crops is generally higher and, under unfavourable conditions more stable than in normal conditions. INTRODUCTION cropping is an integral part of the traditional agriculture in the rainfed areas of India. The preference of mixed cropping gains ground with the crop diversification strategy 111 reducing weather induced instability and the risk in farming. cropping helps meet the farmers' multiple requirements of food, fodder, cattle feed and cash simultaneously. cropping covered upto 83 per cent of the total cropped area in different parts ofthe country (Aiyer, 1949; Jodha, ]979; Mathur, 1963). It was found negatively associated with size of the farm (Jodha, 1979). cropping helped to distribute the labour for farm operation throughout the year and gave higher and more dependable per unit area gross returns than did sole crops (Anonymous, 198]; Mathur, 1963). However, very little evidence is available to support these relationships for arid parts of Rajasthan. Thus, an attempt has been made ill this paper to examine the importance of mixed cropping in Jodhpur district in respect of : (i) coverage in gross cropped area; (ii) relationship with the size of farm; (iii) income; and (iv) income variability. METHODOLOGY Data were collected under Farm structure study in Jodhpur district for three crop years, i.e., to ] for three clusters of two villages each. One hundred households were selected by stratified random sampling based on the probability proportional to size of operational holdings. Samples thus selected included 43 farmers from less than 4 ha, 26 from and 31 farmers from more than 8 ha size-group. The detailed information was gathered by cost-accounting method. The analytical framework consisted of tabular analysis.

2 292 : D. V. SINGH Table 2. Share of individual crop areas in mixed cropping and proportion of total mixed cropped area under each crop during Crop Share of individual Proportion of total mixed crop areas in mixed cropping cropped area under each crop (%) * (%) Bajra Mung Molh Guar Til Jowar (fodder) 1.7 Negative Wheat (irrigated) Wheat (dry) Raya Gram *For calculating the proportion, the area of the concerned crop grown as sole as well as its actual share in the mixture was considered. The actual share of the crop in the mixture is based on the seed rates follow.:-d by the farmers. Table 3. Percentage of important crop mixtures in tle total mixed cropped area during Crop mixtures Clusters Basni-Boranada Karwar-Jipasni All c!l!sters Bajra + molh Bajra + mung + til Bajra + molh + til Bajra + til Moth + guar Guar + til Bajra + mung + moth + til Bajra + mung + molh Mung + til Bajra + moth + guar Bajra + mung Wheat + raya (mustard) Gram + raya (mustard) Others Total

3 ECONOMICS OF MIXED CROPPING IN RAJASTHAN : 293 the Basni-Boranada, bajra+moth in the Karwar-Japasni cluster and bajra+mung +til in the cluster were the most important mixtures. Mixtures of rabi crops were taken when these crops were sown on conserved soil moisture. Bajra was the principal crop in most of Ihe combinations. Pulse, guar, tit were the companion crops in all the mixtures in kharif Most of the combinations consisted of two crops, however, the combination of four mixtures were not uncommon. The prevalent mixtures are the result of farmers' tireless efforts and informal experimentation with crops which satisfy multiple requirements of the farmers and also fit in the existing agricultural environments of the region. The presence of the important mixtures in the individual clusters are testimony of it. For example bajra meets the food and fodder requirements; pulses and oil seeds provide ready cash and also serve the replenishment of soil fertility. Guar serves the need of cattle feed as well as helps in increasing soil fertility. Recently, due to its industrial use guar is going to occupy a place of cash crop to the farmers. cropping and size offarm cropping has been found more popular cropping system among small farmers. Data in Table 4 reveals that Table 4. Extent of mixed cropping according to size groups during CIl ster Size groups Proportion of gross cropped area in mixed cropping (%) (ha) Average Basni-Boranada < > ' Karwar-Jipasni < > < > Cluster average < ,3 >

4 294 : D. v. SIl"GH the extent of mixed cropping had inverse relationship with the size of farm. Over the period of three years average it was true in all the clusters. In different years separately the inverse relationship did not strictly hold in a few cases, however, on the whole the extent of mixed cropping had a tendency to decline with the size of farm. Apart from the factors (irrigation, HYV's) explained earlier, the small farmers raised mixed cropping due to the following reasons. Both because of poor capacity to take ri,k and paucity of land to sow di fferent sole crops in different plots, the small farmers often resort to mixed cropping to a larger extent than the large farmers. Another reason for higher proportion of mixed cropping on small farms is the fact that the small farmer has to satisfy all his subsistence oriented as well as his profit-oriented requirements from the same small piece ofland. For example, about 94 per cent of the bajra production was used for domestic purposes to meet the subsistence requirements of the family. Whereas 18, and 34 per cent of mung, moth, tit and guar production was used for family consumption and the rest was sold to meet the cash requirements of the farm family. cropping according to the small farmers is relatively convenient means to serve his purpose well. Since mixed crops are not given costly inputs this suits from the point of view of the small farmers (Anonymous, 1981). Thus, any break-through in mixed cropping technology will benefit less endowed farmers more than the relatively better endowed farmers (Jodha, 1979). Income of mixed cropping cropping in kharif as well as in rabi were found more profitable than sole crops (Table 5). In khar((, mixed cropping gave higher gross income in all the clusters except in the Karwar-Jipasni cluster where gross income from sole crops was marginally higher than mixed crops in ] Although mixed cropping gave higher gross income over sole crops, the difference in income between mixed and sole crops was relatively mere (68 per cent) in ] , the year of unfavourable weather, than in ] (I] per cent), the year of favourable weather. These differences were statistically significant with regard to the year in all clusters and size groups. However, this was not the case for ] It indicates the importance of mixed cropping as a crop diversification strategy against risk in adverse weather conditions. Further, it was assumed that very low or negative correlation between gross income of sole and mixed crops would make a case for diversification. 1he low and neg<itive correlation coefficients ( to 0.492) lead to confirm the above hypothesis. However, the extent of crop failure in sole (I].7%) and mixed (13.6%) crops do not support the above statement. Since the higher susceptibility of the sole crops to the crop fadure as against mixed crops is also attributable to soil types, soil moisture content and amount of rainfall over the area under crops and crop period.

5 l ECONOMICS OF MIXED CROPPING IN RAJASTHAN : 295 Table 5. Cost, gross and farm business income (Rs/ha) in relation to different cropping systems Cluster/size group Gross income Sole Paid out cost Sule Farm business income Sole kharfj Basni-Boranada Karwar-Jipasni < 4 ha > 8 ha All clusters kharif Basni-Boranada Karwar-Jipasni <4 ha > 8 ha AI! clusters Rabi < 4 ha > 8 ha Notes: 1. In khar(f'season plotwise data for mixed crops were not available for comparison with sole crops during In rabi season data for mixed crops for comparison with sole crops were available in cluster during only. The rabi crops were raised on conserved soil moisture in the cluster. 3. To arrive at the value of gross income, the average prices of three post-harvest months, compiled from Krishi Upaj Mandi, Jodhpur, were computed.

6 296 : D. V. SINGH Analysing the data size groupwise, income from mixed cropping exceeded the income from sole crops in all the size groups. The maximum gross income was from the medium size groups (4-8 ha), followed by the large size (more than 8 ha) and small size (less than 4 ha). The reason for this state of affair was the better resource availability and their utilization by the medium farmers and absence of resources with the smail farmers. The resources available in the form of farm implements, etc., amounted to the extent of Rs. 184 and Rs. 868 per hectare in respect of small and medium farms. In rabi season also the economic performance of mixed cropping was found to be supejior to sole crops. cropping earned 65 and 103 per cent higher gross and farm business income than the sole crops in rabi. The reasons for higher income from mixed crops over sole crops is the complementary and supplementary characteristics of the crops sown. Mathur (1963) states that cotton, jowar and groundnut gave higher yield when sown in combination than when sown singly. So, an acre sown mixed not only gives a higher output of the main crop but produces some other crop/crops as well. Another reason of yield advantage through mixed crvpping is the better use of growth resources/ ellvironments (Anonymous, 1981). For instance moth in mixed cropping helps in conserving soil moisture by its spreading nature. This in turn helps increase the yield. Moth and guar in the kharif and raya and gram in the rabi season are relatively more drought resistant crops. As companion crops they survive tn adverse conditions and thus ensure some yield. Table 6. Gross income variability in relation to different cropping systems in kllarifseason. (Co-efficient of variation, %) Cluster/size group Sole Sole Ba~ni-Boranada Karwar-Jipasni <4ha >- 8 ha All clusters

7 ECONOMICS OF MIXED CROPPING IN RAJASTHAN: 297 Income variability Variability in yields is the main characteristic of dry land farming. Gross income has been taken into account to measure and compare the variabiliy of mixed crops with sole crops. The variability of gross income is the outcome of variability in yields and prices prevalent during the years. Since such decomposition is a difficult task in respect of mixed crops when there are as many as 26 combinations of mixtures, one has to rely on gross income alone. Variability of gross income for the present analysis has been measured by the co-efficient of variation. In spite of profitability and suitability of mixed crops over sole crops the variability of gross income in mixed crops was in no way less marked than the variability insole crops. Co-efficient of variation given in Table 6 indicates that mixed crops were equally prone to income fluctuations as sole crops. It may be pointed out that income variations in respect of mixed crops were comparatively less than sole crops in , the year of moisture stress, than in , the normal year. This further shows that mixed crops as compared to sole crops are more stable in income in abnormal years than in normal years. However, coefficient of variations between mixed and sole crops were not found significantly different from each other either clusterwise or size group wise in any of the years. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am thankful to the Director and the Chief Scientist, Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, for providing facilities. Thanks are also due to Shri D. L. Vyas, CAZRI, Jodhpur, for valuable suggestions and comments. REFERENCES Aiyer, A. K. Y. N cropping in India. J. agri. Sci. Camb. 19 : Anonymous A Decade of Dryland Agriculture Research at CAZRI, Jodhpur ( ). Jodha, N. S Intercropping in tradi tional farming systems. Proceedings of International Workshop on Intercropping, lcrisa T, Hyderabad. pp Mathur, P. N Cropping Pattern and Employment in Viderbha. Indian J. agric. Econ. 18 :