T N - I A M P

Tamil Nadu - Irrigated Agriculture and Modernization Project
Funded by World Bank

Overview

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) is one of the implementing agencies in TN-IAM Project funded by World Bank for implementing on farm technology assessment, validating and mainstreaming of promising crop husbandry practices and water management technologies in 66 sub-basins for a period of six years 2017-2023.

The major interventions proposed by TNAU during 2017-23 are focused on promoting climate resilient activities and marked led agriculture. The activities include enhancement of rice productivity, popularizing the water saving techniques viz., Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation(AWDI) in rice, Direct Sowing of rice, improving the fertility of rice soils through green manuring etc.

As there is potential for improving the productivity of pulses, interventions have been proposed for increasing the production of pulses by expanding the area under pulses, enhancing the quality seed production through promotion of seed villages, formation of Farmers’ Producers Organizations for enabling market linkage etc. To increase the profitability of the farmers, introduction of alternate crops like maize, vegetables, oilseeds and fruits in Cauvery Basin. For improving the productivity of sugarcane, Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) practices will be up-scaled in these sub basins. Precision Farming Technologies in banana, red gram and fruit crops have also been included as the important interventions during the above period. It is also planned to promote Pesticide Free Bio Villages to reduce the usage of chemicals and to encourage organic farming activities in vegetable production.

The satellite based estimation of water spread area, assessment of crop diversification, geo tag interventions using Remote Sensing techniques, e - agriculture for enabling the farmers with technology updates and market information, forecast for crop planning and farm advisories have been planned. The GHG emission will also be monitored through Remote Sensing Techniques for environmental safeguard.

Objectives

The Primary Objective of the project is to promote Climate resilient activities and marked led agriculture in selected sub basins of Tamil Nadu.

The specific objectives include

1. Enhancing the productivity of rice through upscaling of water saving technologies such as SRI/AWDI, Direct Seeded Rice, Unpuddled Rice
2. Promotion of pulses production in sub basins
3. Introduction of alternate crops like Maize
4. Increasing the area under Oilseeds
5. Promotion of vegetable cultivation through Precision Farming techniques
6. Enhancing the red gram productivity through drip fertigation
7. Increasing the sugarcane productivity by popularizing SSI technologies
8. Promotion of pesticide free vegetable production
9. Empowering the farmers with market intelligence, access to modern technologies through m-velanmai etc.,

The IT based activities such as Geo tagging and Remote Sensing for monitoring the interventions and the GHG emissions will be estimated as part of the activities in the project.

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Concept of Note

As focus is shifted from production centric agriculture led by farm technologies and innovations to the market oriented agriculture because of rapid urbanization, rise in income levels, change in consumer preferences etc., the farm profitability is dictated by markets. Still, 66.14 per cent of the rural households in Tamil Nadu has to depend upon farming as the main livelihood supporting activity. The proposed TN-IAMWARM phase II would give special emphases on enhancing crop production to have better market access, crop diversification, value addition and climate resilient agriculture in the sub basins of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) would address all these tasks with the following interventions for the crops grown in the river sub basins of Tamil Nadu.

TNAU – Interventions write-up

• Productivity enhancement in Rice: Rice is the main staple crop grown in the sub basin wherein there is still scope for improving the productivity as the yield gap varies from 1.2 - 1.6 t/ha both in first and second seasons. TNAU will analayse the constraints in each sub basin and suggest suitable interventions viz. mechanized SRI cultivation, adoption of ‘safe’ AWD, application of micronutrients besides use of improved drought resistant varieties for implementation.
• Promotion of Pulse production in sub basins: In the river basins, pulses grown next to rice as fallow crops are the new important commodity group for giving special focus. They are main the source of plant protein for the achieving the nutritional security of the rural households and also act as the soil - nutrient enhancer by the way of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. Current yield levels are merely a 50 per cent of the potential yield attainable, and the State being the net importer of pulses are concerned. As there is always huge scope for improving the productivity levels of major pulse crops, poor seed replacement rate, timely availability of quality seeds, zero mineral nutrition, improper pest management practices, poor post-harvest practices etc., are the major constraints to increase the productivity. TNAU will intervene with production and supply of quality seeds under farmers participatory approach and adoption of improved production technologies viz. advocating optimum plant population along with nutrient spray.
• Value chain analysis in pulses: Further, evolving appropriate value chains to improve both forward and backward linkages to improve the production and marketing efficiency, providing scope for secondary agricultural activities, proper branding, formation of pulse commodity groups, involving public-private partnerships in the pulses value chain, etc., are the major interventions proposed by TNAU to ensure effective use of inputs for better farm profits, additional gainful employment, quality produce for processing and final consumption, accommodating small and marginal farmers to have better market linkages, and to achieve food and nutritional security of the State.
• Revival of oilseeds cultivation in sub basins: Oilseeds are the next target group to be given special focus in the river sub basins of Tamil Nadu. As they are mostly grown in rainfed situation, the yield levels are far below than the national average and still vast potential untapped to improve the productivity of oilseeds. Like pulses, the country being the net importer of oilseeds, and because of increased demand for edible oil consumption by the households in the State, the demand - supply gap is much wider. So, special attention should be envisaged to narrow down this gap. The following interventions like micro irrigation practices, optimal mineral nutrition, supply of quality seeds, proper post-harvest management practices, improved processing technologies etc., would be addressed by TNAU.
• Precision farming will be the major focus in command areas to enhance the water use efficiency. Presently GOI under Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) laid emphasis that atleast 10% of total command area to be brought under Micro Irrigation to increase overall water use efficiency of the system. To achieve this concept TNAU will undertake the promotion of Micro Irrigation in high value crops(banana/ vegetables / melon) under mission mode approach in Cauvery and Tamaraparani sub- basins under TN- IAMWARM – II.
• Sustainable sugarcane initiative (SSI): Sugarcane is one of the water guzzling crop being cultivated largely in the sub basins. TNAU developed a new technology SSI which involves use of less seeds, water, energy and optimal utilization of nutrients. SSI was successfully demonstrated in TNIAMWARM I will be upscaled on mission mode in all the sub basins under TNIAMWARM II.
• Promotion of pesticide free vegetable production and organic farming: Vegetables are the short duration, seasonal bound crops and require water only during critical stages of growth but has tremendous potential in increasing the farm profitability under short run. There is also alarming demand for toxic free vegetables from the urban consumers, TNAU will advocate production technologies suitable under precision farming, nursery management practices, pesticide free vegetables, improved post-harvest practices such as proper grading and packing, improved storage practices, marketing for peri-urban areas, capacity building and training programmes for the increased awareness about environmental friendly and pesticide free cultivation of vegetables which can be converted into fully organic cultivation in a phased manner.
• Introduction of new technology in fruit crops: Similarly, fruit crops are the better choice for the sub basins,wherein crops like mango and pomegranate can be suggested. Since they are consumed both in raw and processed forms a lot of potential for secondary agricultural activities in the basin areas which promote better economic growth in various clusters across the State apart from increasing farm household income. Hence, interventions like better nursery practices, high density planting, micro irrigation facilities, intercultural operations, optimal mineral nutrition, pruning practices, post-harvest practices, packing and grading, branding, conducting trainings and awareness programmes, precision farming, raising pesticide free fruits etc., will be addressed by TNAU.
• Domestic and export market intelligence: All along, the production risks that would surface the basin crops suggested are addressed and proper TNAU interventions to counter these challenges are briefed. Next being the market risk, this would significantly influence the farm profitability and viability. Basin farmers are given with narrow choice of crops and facing both monsoon risks and market risks at tandem. So, they should be addressed with proper market signals so that when the signals are positive, the farmers should reap better profits and at the time of negative signals, they should minimize price risks. Hence, delivering and disseminating market intelligence at appropriate time especially prior to sowing and prior to harvest will help the basin farmers to have appropriate farm decisions to choose their crop choices in sowing, selling and stocking the farm produce. With this intention, price forecasts would be generated and disseminated at proper time using print and electronic media to enable the farmers information symmetric about market signals. In addition to price intelligence, product and place intelligence such as consumer preferences, quality standards for domestic and export markets, potential markets etc., will also be provided and validated. Commodity outlook for various basin crops would consist of crop fundamental viz., demand, supply, trade, buffer stock, market integration, price transmission, price volatility, value chain etc., and prepared by procuring sufficient data bases and econometric softwares.
• e-Agriculture: Personalized availability of timely and appropriate scientific agricultural information/advices in regional language to farmers remains a big challenge for an extension system to function effectively and efficiently. The proposed concept of e-agricultural extension advisory system attempts to address the issue by harnessing the potentials of ICT and build an e-agricultural extension advisory system that is transferable to sub basins farmers. The proposed system will involve KVK of TNAU in the Technology transfer process. An user friendly Android App will be developed and loaded in the http://agritechportal.tnau.ac.in for larger use by farmers in the state. The scope of the advisory services will integrate technology, weather and market intelligence information on agricultural and allied to the farmers for effective decision support and profitable farming. The turn around time for dissemination of advisories can also be minimized as compared to the previous model which was successfully demonstrated in TNIAMWARM I.
• Apart from the interventions enlisted for various commodity groups by TNAU, periodical monitoring and concurrent evaluations would be conducted whether they are aimed at proper directions as the per the objectives laid out. A detailed impact evaluation study would be conducted to analyze the success of each of the proposed interventions on the target groups of the river basins of Tamil Nadu. New interventions such as Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, geo-tagging of meta-data generated in the sub basins, providing market intelligence on select crops, use of innovative ICT methods for better outreach of the benefits of IAMWARM phase II will be the crucial role of TNAU to contribute for its success and for further up scaling.
• Institutional Mechanism: The Director, Water Technology Centre, TNAU will be the Nodal Officer for implementing TN-IAMWARM-II of TNAU components by forming a separate Cell at Nodal office WTC TNAU to monitor the physical and financial progress besides documenting the activities. The HODS of KVK/Research stations will be sub basin Nodal officer with one scientist in the cadre of not less than Assistant Professor will be the in charge of TNAU activities at sub basin. The unemployed agricultural graduates will be employed by out sourcing to work closely with the farmers at sub basin. A coordination committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor TNAU with technical directors as members to review the progress periodically.
• Capacity building: TNAU will provide technical training through the KVK in all the finalized interventions to the line department staff/farmers before to implementation. Besides capacity of the scientist will be built up by undergoing trainings on Micro Irrigation, Vegetables, and Pulses production at national and international institutes in Israel, Taiwan, Australia and Philippines.

Implementation mechanism:

TNAU activities will be implemented on cluster basis in one or two tanks in year one and will be spread to other tank areas in subsequent years. TNAU activities will be implemented approximately not less than ten percent of total tank areas.

Costing and financing:

The unit cost for each intervention will be worked based on the cost norms approved by govt. The cost for critical inputs alone will be included as project cost by ensuring more of farmers participation through cost and labour. The overall financing for TNAU in 61 sub basins for the project period is approximately 95 crores. The actual unit cost and total cost for each sub basin will be worked while finalizing DPR for each sub-basin.

Indicators:

The interventions mainly focus on market led agriculture and climate resilient activities at sub-basins. To achieve these two broader objectives the indicator are viz, Crop -Yield improvement of Rice/Pulses/Oil seeds, Water- Saving in irrigation water, water use efficiency, Soil –Soil fertility status, build up of organic carbon, Environment- Reduction GH gas emission, production of toxic free vegetables, adoption of organic agriculture, Human nutrition- Child nutritional status at village level, Income- overall income improvement, Other social -Improvement in standard of living, Reduction in migration and participation of rural youth in agriculture