Impact of interventions/ diversification in farming system on profitability and sustainability of small farmers of Mehsana district of Gujarat

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at 24 farmer's field in Mehsana district of North Gujarat Agro climatic zone of Gujarat. Among them, 12 farmers fall under high productive block of Visnagar Taluka (Laxmipura, Savala- Ravlapura and Ganeshpura villages) and 12 farmers fall under low productive block of Kadi Taluka (Nandasan, Borisana and Ambaliyara villages) under the On Farm Research Programme, SDAU, Jagudan through different interventions or diversification. Results revealed that, the intensification/ diversification/ interventions increased net income of small land holders in low productive block of Kadi (Mehsana) from Rs 23117 to Rs 66134 per ha with the increase in net income to the tune of 20.3 to 65.1 % over their existing farming system, while under high productive block (Visnagar taluka ) the range of increasing net profit per ha was Rs 9550 to Rs 95247per ha with the percent increase from 11.2 to 68.1% in net income. The response of intensification/diversification/ interventions was relatively higher (44.8 %) under low productive block of Kadi Taluka over high productive block of Vishnagar Taluka of Mehsana district.