Improving the Productivity of Rainfed Farming Systems of Small and Marginal Farmers in Adilabad District, Telangana

On-farm trials were conducted during 2010 and 2011 to evaluate the effect of different interventions on productivity and profitability of rainfed farming systems of small and marginal farmers in Seethagondhi cluster, Adilabad district. Averaged across six farmers’ fields, the cotton equivalent yield (CEY) of cotton + pigeonpea intercropping was 7.99 q/ha with farmers’ practice. The CEY increased by 17.5% due to herbicide use for weed control, 28.3% with application of recommended NPK, and 35.8% with use of both herbicide and recommended NPK compared to farmers’ practice. Use of herbicide for weed control coupled with application of recommended NPK gave higher net return ( 10,300/ha) compared to other management practices. Among the farming systems of marginal farmers, integrated farming system involving crop production (cotton + pigeonpea intercropping) and livestock rearing (4 bullocks, 3 desi cows and 1 buffalo) gave higher net return ( 40,180/year) compared to other farming systems. Similarly, among the three farming systems of small farmers, integrated farming system involving crop production (cotton + pigeonpea intercropping) and livestock rearing (2 bullocks, 1 desi cow and 40 goats) performed better with a net return of 89,937/year compared to other farming systems.