System approach in rainfed mango for sustainable productivity, profitability and livelihood security

Results of field trial for four years to standardize an integrated farming system revealed that harvesting rain water and intercropping can be profitably practiced under rainfed mango. Mango + sweet corn intercropping + dairy system gave significantly higher system productivity (15,303 kg/ha/year), net returns (₹ 2,61,870/ha/year) and benefit cost ratio (2.43) followed by mango + pigeonpea (13,062 kg/ha/year, ₹ 233 × 10³/ha/year and 2.40, respectively). The economics of dairy (two milch cows) integration showed an average milk production of 9.7 litres/day/cow leading to regular returns. There was a reduction in cost of maintenance of dairy due to on farm generated fodder resources in the system approach. With intercropping the organic carbon content accumulated in mango basin (0.54% to 1.28%) although in the interspace, the differences were non-significant. Further, with intercropping the yield of mango increased from 20.7 kg/plant upto 66.6 kg/plant over four years. The total net returns were increased from ₹ 41,800/ha/year from monocropping of mango to ₹ 261.87 × 10³/ha/year by following integrated farming systems. Further, the system approach resulted in periodical returns to the family, with the distribution of income spreading out from a mere three months to all the twelve months in the year with a minimum of ₹ 6,520/month to a maximum of ₹ 22,750/month thereby suggesting the sustainable livelihood opportunity for the dependent farm family.