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The effective area of agricultural land in Sundarban is 3,15,500 ha. Typically the
soils are deep fine textured, heavily structured and
slow draining. Nearly 62% of total
cultivable land of this region is low lying and suffers
from elevated salinity during dry
season, from intrusion of saline water, capillary
action, and increasingly acid sulphate
build up. Soil drainage is generally inadequate and deep
water stagnation occurs in
monsoon season.
At present nearing 20% of the agricultural land in this
region is multi cropped. In this region 9% of the
farmers are classified as small farmers and 35% as
marginal farmers.
Apart from this, the concentration of Bargadars,
Pattaholders and landless agricultural
labourers are very high. In 2001, per capita land was
0.084 ha. The farming community
consisting of small and marginal framers and
Bargadars are typically focused on
subsistence production and their prime is food security.
The
agricultural programme consists of schemes :
(a) Distribution of fruit plants amongst school
students of this region
(b) Distribution of agricultural
inputs during Rabi season for bringing more areas under
double cropping with non-traditional crops like oil
seeds, pulses and cotton etc. The major thrust of this
scheme is to create additional employment opportunity
for the local people and to bring change in cropping
pattern
(c) Extension of mushroom (oyster) cultivation
(d) Extension of Cotton cultivation
(e) Demonstration of
organic and vermi composting
(f) Training & Workshop etc
on the use of Bio-fertilisers & Bio-pesticides
(g)
Training & Workshop on agriculture & allied activities
etc.
Rabi Programme :
Farmers of this region are provided with high quality
seeds mainly high yielding
verities and hybrid seeds for cultivation in specific
unit area. The programmes are chalked
out keeping in view the agro- climatic conditions, soil
status and available irrigation facility etc. The
farmers under the programme are selected in consultation
with local panchayats and for certain portion with
active NGOs of the area. |
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