Rice-based Integrated Farming Systems in the Northeast

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Rice-based Integrated Farming Systems in the
Northeast

• B.P. Bhatt
• ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region,
• Nagaland Centre, Jharnapani, Nagaland

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Introduction

• In the third world countries, some 2.3-2.6
  billion people are supported by agricultural
  systems characterized by modern technologies
  brought about by the Green Revolution.
• These systems utilize good soils and usually have
  reliable access to water. However, these systems
  are not applicable to the 1.9-2.2 billion
  (82.6-84.6) people living in rainfed, undulating
  and mountainous areas, which are largely
  untouched by modern technologies.
• Their agricultural systems are complex and
  diverse, and are located in the humid and
  subhumid areas, the hills and mountains and the
  dry lands of uncertain rainfall. They commonly
  produce per unit area only one-fifth to one-tenth
  of the food as farms in the industrialized and
  Green Revolution lands (Pretty, 1995).  

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Contd.

• Moreover, the green revolution belt of the
  country has already reached production plateau
  besides leading to environmental hazards and
  resultant impact on human health thereby bringing
  in increased concerned for sustainability. Such
  concerns have given rise to the concept of
  evergreen revolution through alternative farming
  system methods like organic farming, biodynamic
  farming etc. Such farming practices are largely
  dependent on organic sources of fertilizer,
  recycling of within farm renewable resources and
  off farm wastes.
• Integrated Farming System (IFS) is based on the
  concept that there is no waste, and waste is
  only a misplace resource which can become a
  valuable material for another product (Edwards et
  al., 1986).

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Opportunities for IFS

• Diverse and complex agricultural systems,
• About 63 rainfed agricultural area,
• Indigenous plant, animal and fish resources,
• Existing agro-biodiversity,
• Availability of animal manure including crop
  residues and high biomass production for clean
  food production.

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Components of Rice-based IFS

• Rice-fish integration
• Rice-Livestock farming including poultry and
  duckery.
• Rice-fish-azolla farming
• Multipurpose trees and shrubs
• Hedgerow intercropping
• Variety of other crops like seasonal vegetables,
  medicinal herbs, and potential wild edibles.

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Rice Production Scenario in NE Region
Source- Basic Statistics of North Eastern Region
Various State Departments
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Livestock and Poultry Population (million) in
North Eastern States
Source Basic Statistics of North Eastern Region
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Projected green and dry fodder requirement of
livestock of Northeast
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Projected dung production (million tonnes/yr)
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Nutrient content (? S.D.) in some important
organic manures
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Important Rice based IFS in NE States

• Rice-fish
• Rice-fish-azolla
• Rice-fish-cattle
• Rice-fish-pig
• Rice-fish-goat
• Rice-fish-duck
• Rice-fish-poultry

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Potential farming system of Apatani Plateau,
Subansari District, Arunachal Pradesh (wet rice
cultivation with indigenous knowledge of land and
water management, forestry and fishery)
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Pani Kheti system in Phek District of Nagaland
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Rice with integrated fish farming in farmers
field
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Rice-fish-pig IFS in farmers field
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Rice-fish-cattle IFS
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Rice-fish cum duck system
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Growth performance of livestock/birds (kg/animal)
in IFS and traditional animal husbandry practices
Figures in parenthesis represents daily weight
gain (kg/animal/month).
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Annual feed consumption by livestock/birds in IFS
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Fish Productivity in IFS (q/ha basis)
Stocking density was 34, 100, 700, 500 and 17 per
ha to pig, goat, duck, chicken and cattle,
respectively. The dressing was 75, 56, 58, 70,
respectively to pig, goat, duck and layer
chicken.
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Fertilization of fish ponds (Kg/yr) by faecal
material in IFS
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Growth performance of hedgerow species in IFS
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Production of Pruned Biomass (q/ha- FW basis)
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Growth of Indigofera tinctoria as hedgerow species
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Crop productivity (q/ha) under IFS, Meghalaya
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Contd.
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Economic status of different rice based
integrated farming systems
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Contd.
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Constraints in adopting the improved agricultural
technologies

• Land ownership and land tenure system.
• Jhum being integral component of the cultural
  ethos of the people of NE.
• Different agricultural practices of different
  ethnic groups.
• Inaccessibility
• Poor extension of the proven technologies of
  agricultural production.

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Future Strategies

• Restoration of degraded lands.
• Efficiency use of natural resources for increased
  production.
• Resource conservation.
• Increased production under upland ecosystem and
  crop intensification in lowlands.
• Water security

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Thanks