Effectiveness of Mole Drainage Technology for Reclamation of Waterlogged Soils for Crop Improvement and Farm Income in Maharashtra

Abstract:

Mole plough technology has proved as a viable and economically feasible alternative to improve the waterlogged and saline soils of canal command area of Sangli district of Maharashtra state. The low cost mole technology was demonstrated on 120 acres area of farmer’s field from Sangli district during 2016-17 to 2018-19 under RKVY. In order to know the effect of mole technology, present research was undertaken with the objectives to study the knowledge about effect of mole technology and its adoption by beneficiaries, its effectiveness on soil health, yield and income of beneficiary and constraints in adoption of technology. The study was conducted in Miraj, Tasgaon and Palus tahsils of Sangli district purposively. A list of beneficiary farmers was obtained from Agricultural Research Station, K. Digraj, Sangli and total 120 respondents were seledted from list. The respondents were personally interviewed with structured schedule and data was analysed for the results. The major results of the study revealed that mole technology has shown effect on soil health, cent per cent respondents were known about that mole technology improved soil texture, decreased salt deposition, resulted in early field capacity. Study further revealed that cent per cent beneficiaries gained the knowledge about practice of trenching to drain out excess water also majority were having knowledge about use of organic manure and gypsum for management of water logged soils and more that half were adopting these practices. Farmers also known that mole technology needs more than 65 HP tractor, length of furrow should be 20 to 100 m and minimum distance between mole drain should be 4 meter. Further impact was observed on increase in yield and income level of sugarcane crop, change in average yield was observed 26MT and Rs. 78000/- was increased in gross income of the farmer. Therefore to popular the technology on large scale mole plough and high power tractor should be make available on custom hire basis.