Blending Traditional Knowledge of Farmers in Agriculture with Modern Scientific Technologies in Western Uttar Pradesh
摘要
Western Uttar Pradesh is an agriculturally prosperous area with a strong network of rivers such as the Ganga and Yamuna. About 60% of sugar production from the state comes from Western UP. Although tremendous growth in the agriculture sector has been achieved after independence, but from the last two decades sugarcane and dairy farming systems are facing sustainability issues. The mono-crop pattern of sugarcane-ratoon-wheat coupled with a single variety of sugarcane (Co-0238) and wheat (PBW-226) in larger areas may pose a threat to biodiversity as well as lead to biotic stress and declining factor productivity in the long-term. Crop diversification and integration of traditional practices with innovative modern practices have barriers on account of wild animal-related issues, absence of competitive yield, income, and market matching crops. Although in the initial years, the region was known for inventing and adopting traditional practices, due to the change to mono-crop-based systems and also progressing towards absentee cultivation, the region is depending on market-based input management rather than integrated use of traditional and modern knowledge in farming. Traditional practices such as small tools, conservation and utilization of crop residues, livestock wastes, intercropping systems, and protecting the crops from wild animals can be combined with modern techniques to improve the income, livelihood, and sustainability of the farmers in the region. This chapter gives information on how traditional agricultural knowledge can be blended with modern technologies for sustainable agriculture in Western UP. Cattle dung when composted to make manures (instead of making dung cakes for fuel) can reduce at least 20% of mineral fertilizer consumption besides improving the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties. Modern techniques of water management such as drip fertigation and mulching when combined with traditional knowledge can contribute to use efficiency improvement of about 60–80% in sugarcane-ratoon-wheat system. Intercropping sugarcane with mustard and gobi sarson can help improve the current land use efficiency by 80% and increase the income by 60–80%, thus providing long-term sustainability to the system.