Department of Agriculture, Government of Maharashtra, CCoommpprreehheennssiivvee DDiissttrriicctt AAggrriiccuullttuurraall PPllaann Of AAhhmmeeddnnaaggaarr (C-DAP) 2007-08 to 2011-12 Prepared by District Superintending Agriculture Officer Ahmednagar Coordinated by Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (Deemed University) Pune 411004 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Concerned by the slow growth of agriculture and allied sector, the National Development Council (NDC) in its meeting held on 29th May, 2007 envisaged for rejuvenating agricultural and allied sector during the XI th Five Year Plan Period by achieving a growth rate of 4% per annum .In this regard Comprehensive District Agriculture Plan for the Ahmednagar District was prepared for XI plan period which was quite helpful to achive the targeted growth rate for agriculture and allied sector in Ahmednagar district. The concerned allied departments at district were oriented about the importance of Comprehensive District Agriculture Plan. Ahmednagar is one of the largest districts in the state of Maharashtra. It is divided into fourteen tahsils. Except Akole tahsil of Ahmednagar district all remaining thirteen tahsils falls under drought prone area. The total area under cultivation is about 12.56 lakh hectares. Ahmednagar is predominantly a agricultural based district. The majority of cultivable area is depend upon monsoon i.e. rainfed. Due to availability of irrigation facilities the productivity of agriculture is comparatively more in irrigated areas than rainfed areas. Hence total agricultural growth in both the rainfed and as well as irrigated areas is required to improve in the XII th Five Year Plan Period. The present document is prepared taking into consideration the present status agriculture and allied sector in Ahmednagar district, potential areas of improvement, available resources and additional infrastructure required for achieving expected 4% growth rate per annum. This document also focuses on the budget required for implementation of various programmes and activities proposed during the plan period. The regional and location specific needs are taken into consideration with present constraints in the development. The purpose of the Comprehensive Agricultural Development Plan is to generate a common development perspective of Ahmednagar district. It also focuses on human, infrastructure and optimal utilization of the available resources for achieving higher levels of livelihood especially for women and underprivileged. While preparing of this comprehensive plan document we have been guided and supported by District Collector Ahmednagar and all progressive farmers of districts. I must thank for them sincerely. The allied department officers put the their innovative programmes to make it more farming system driven. The staff of Agriculture Department was engaged for collecting and consolidating talukawise data. They deserve appreciation for responding positively for these changes in Agriculture planning process. I must thankful to Shri.Shivajirao Amle, Project Director ATMA, &Shri Raosaheb Bendre, Agri Marketing Expert.Ahmednagar for their enthusiasm in making this document more live and fruitful. I must personally extend my sincere thanks to Shri Umesh Lagad ,MD ,SEVA ,NGO for refining and finishing the C-DAP of Ahmednagar District. Ankush Mane District Superintending Agricultural Officer Ahmednagar (M.S.) i Contents Foreword i Preface ii List of Tables vii List of Figures/Boxes xi List of Maps xi List of Abbreviations xii List of Annexure xiv Executive Summary xv Introduction Innovative Schemes Special Programmes and the Ongoing Projects in the District Vision of the Next Plan District Plan at a Glance Consultation Process Conclusion Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Backdrop 1.2 Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna 1.3 Objectives of RKVY 1.4 Areas of Focus under RKVY 1.5 Comprehensive District Agricultural Plan 1.6 Methodology: 1.7 Organization of report Chapter 2 General Description of the Satara District 2.1 Introduction 2.2 District at a Glance 2.2.1 Location and Geographical Units 2.2.2 Demographic Profile ii 2.2.3 Topography and Agro-Climatic Conditions 2.2.4 Land Use Pattern and Land holdings 2.2.5 Irrigation and Groundwater 2.2.6 Cropping Pattern 2.2.7 District Income 2.3 Development Vision and Strategy Chapter 3 SWOT Analysis of the Satara District 3.1 Introduction 3.2 SWOT Analysis of the District 3.2.1 Strengths 3.2.2 Weaknesses 3.2.4 Threats 3.3 Accommodating SWAOT- Addressing Issues Emerging out of SWOT Analysis 3.4 Sectoral /Regional Growth Drivers of the District Chapter 4 Development of Agriculture Sector 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Land Use 4.3 Soil Health 4.4 Water Resources and Management 4.5 Major Crops and Varieties in the District 4.6 Input Management 4.7 Farm Mechanization/ Farm Projects 4.8 Special Programmes and the Ongoing Projects in the District 4.9 Constraints Analysis 4.10 Recommended interventions of the district with detailed action plan with costs 4.11 Projected outcome and growth during the next plan period 4.12 Researchable Issues iii Chapter 5 Allied Agricultural Sectors 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Horticultural Development 5.2 Sericulture Development 5.3 Animal Husbandry 5.5 Fishery Development 5.6 Watershed Development 5.7 Social Forestry Development 5.8 Agro-based Rural Development Programme 5.9 Food Processing Units 5.10 Development of Rural Industries 5.11 Agriculture Marketing 5.12 Agriculture Credit 5.13 Special Programmes and the Projects on Going in the District 5.14 Constraints Analysis 5.15 Recommended interventions of the district with detailed action plan 5.16 Projected outcome and growth during the next plan period Chapter 6 Ahmednagar District Plan 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Growth Drivers 6.3 Innovative Schemes 6.4 Vision of the Next Plan 6.5 District Plan Annexure I Annexure II Annexure III iv List of Tables Table Title Page No. i List of Figures/Boxes/Charts Figure Figures Page No. List of Maps Map Map Page No. 1 Location Map of Maharashtra and Ahmednagar in India 08 2 Road map of Satara district 09 ii List of Abbreviations A.I. Artificial Insemination A.I.C. Artificial Insemination Centre APMC Agricultural Produce Market Committee ATMA Agriculture Technology Management Agency BAPU Block Agriculture Planning Unit BPL Below Poverty Line CB Cross Breed C-DAP Comprehensive District Agriculture Plan DAPU District Agriculture Planning Unit DDP District Development Plan DFL Disease Free Laying DIC District Industries Centre DPAP Drought Prone Area Programme DPC District Planning Committee DRDA District Rural Development Authority DSAO District Superintending Agriculture Officer EGS Employment Guarantee Scheme FFS Farmers Field School GCA Gross Cropped Area GDP Gross Domestic Product GIA Gross Irrigated Area GoI Government of India GP Gram Panchayat GVO Gross Value of Output Ha Hectare HYV High Yielding Variety IADP Integrated Agricultural Development Plan INM Integrated Nutrient Management IPM Integrated Pest Management KVI Khadi and Village Industries KVK Krishi Vigyan Kendra NDC National Development Council NDP Net Domestic Product i NGOs Non Government Organizations NHM National Horticulture Mission NIA Net Irrigated Area NPK Nitrogen, Potassium and Potash NWDPRA National Watershed development Programme for Rainfed Areas PPP Public Private Partnership Prod Production Prodvty Productivity PVC Primary Veterinary Center RKVY Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna SAU State Agricultural Universities SC Scheduled Castes SHG Self Help Group SRR Seed Replacement Ratio ST Scheduled Tribes SWOT Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat TAC Technical Appraisal Committee VAPU Village Agriculture Planning Unit ZRS Zonal Research Stations ii List of Annexure Annexure Title Page No. Composition of District Agriculture Planning Unit/Block Agriculture I Planning Unit/Village Agriculture Planning Unit II Production of Horticultural Crops III Taluka wise Cropwise Yield Gap Analysis i CHAPTER –I. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Backdrop: Sustained growth in India’s agricultural sector is essential for overall stability of the economy. Agricultural development is also a key to a number of national goals, such as reducing rural poverty, providing food and nutritional security, supplying raw materials for major industries such as textiles, earning foreign exchange through exports and opening up avenues for employment by promoting agro-processing units. Growth in the agricultural sector by contributing to increased rural incomes can also build a strong foundation for consumer demand in rural areas, which in turn can stimulate growth in secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy. Concerned by the slow growth of agriculture and allied sector, the National Development Council (NDC) in its meeting held on 29th May, 2007 envisaged for rejuvenating agricultural and allied sector during the XI th Five Year Plan Period for achieving a growth rate of 4% per annum. Agriculture has always been India’s dominant economic sector and the Green, Blue, White and Yellow revolutions brought about vast changes in the agrarian scene since independence. While the agricultural sector has witnessed many success stories, the economic potential of this economic activity leaves much to be desired and has a long way to go. The growth rate in the agricultural sector has always lagged behind the overall growth rate of the economy. During the Tenth Plan period, while the rate of growth of gross domestic product was 7.8 per cent per annum, the agricultural sector experienced a miniscule growth rate of 2.5 per cent per annum. Indian agriculture is presently at cross roads and one of the major challenges is to reverse deceleration in agricultural growth rates so as to successfully achieve a higher broad- based growth. The state of Maharashtra, like most states in India has witnessed sharp deceleration in agricultural growth rate and rapid economic development in this state has led to continuous decline in the contribution of the agricultural sector to the economy of Maharashtra. A more disturbing feature is that the contribution of agriculture to State Domestic Product is shrinking rapidly from 28 per cent in 1980-81 to 14.2 per cent in 2000-01 as compared to the All India figure of 26 per cent in 2000-01.