Rakesh Kumar Yadav*,

Success story M C Jain, V K Yadav and

R K Yadav

Guava based intercropping for

doubling farmers' income

The current study was started in July 2018 at village Suhana, Post Bhandahera,
Block Sultanpur, District Kota, Rajasthan. The area comprising Kota, Baran, Bundi
and Jhalawar Districts of Rajasthan is popularly known as Haroti region. This
region comes under south-eastern part of the state. A farmer (Sh. Ghanshyam) was
identified for different modules based on his existing production system, potential
and interest. The major cropping system of the region were paddy-wheat, urd-
wheat and soybean-wheat. The village is near to the Agriculture University, Kota
and adopted by the university under Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav but the technology
awareness and adoption was very low. Farmers are still cultivating old varieties
and do not have access to quality seed. The soil texture is clayey. Being in peri-
urban situation, there is an immense opportunity and potential to make agriculture
a profitable enterprise.

G hanshyam, a farmer of village Suhana, Kota

(Rajasthan) was growing soybean, wheat, etc. with
traditional practices of agriculture. These traditional
onion, guava + tomato, guava + garlic were grown by
Sh. Ghanshyam in guava orchard, spaced at 5 × 5 m,
which has attained the age of 3 years. He also adopted
crops were mainstay of his livelihood. The idea of brinjal + pumpkin intercropping and garlic + bottle
guava based intercropping helped to harness potential gourd relay cropping. According to Sh. Ghanshyam,
yield and attaining more profit as compared to the guava based intercropping with vegetables during
individual crops of tomato, coriander, onion, garlic and both the seasons (rabi and kharif) is practically feasible
potato. For sustainable crop production in Rajasthan and economically viable under Haroti region of
conditions, by cultivating intercrop in fruit orchard, Rajasthan. Among the sole crops of vegetables, guava
farmers can enhance the water-use efficiency, sustain and guava based intercropping, the net economic return
soil fertility, reduce weed growth, minimize soil erosion, ` 611,983/ha with the B:C ratio 4.13 was achieved in
maximize utilization of interspaces left in orchard, guava based intercropping. In order to obtain more
which ultimately leads to sustainable production and sustainable returns, intercropping not only enhances the
enhanced farm income. Keeping these points in view, productivity and income but also utilizes the unutilized
different combinations of vegetable crops, viz. guava + space left in orchards.

Garlic and bottle gourd intercropping Kishan Divas at Sh. Ghanshyam's field

52 Indian Horticulture
 Scientific cultivation of potato as sole crop

Objectives
y y To introduce new cropping patterns as intercropping
in the fruit orchard
y y To encourage the farmers for crop diversification for
doubling farmers income
y y To enhance farm income by adopting horticulture
based cropping system

Generic problems in the area Pumpkin + brinjal Muskmelon and marigold

y y Scarcity of ground water and uneven distribution of intercropping intercropping
monsoon
y y Low market price of traditional crops and less farm Sultanpur, District Kota, Rajasthan came in contact with
income per unit area Agriculture University, Kota and deliberated his problems
y y Limited awareness of farmers regarding good with university scientists. He faced many problems like
agriculture practices scarcity of good quality irrigation water, low yield and
y y Less adoption of horticulture-based cropping system poor quality of produce. He was looking for adoption of
recent technologies developed by the agriculture scientists.
Reason for selection of this area Scientists suggested to Sh. Ghanshyam for various
Haroti region of Rajasthan is known for cultivation trainings and he got training on propagation methods,
of soybean, coriander, garlic, wheat and mustard. Haroti irrigation water management, nursery management,
region comes under Humid South Eastern Plain agro- drip irrigation, mulching, importance of guava based
climatic zone of Rajasthan. Soil of this zone is heavy intercropping, etc. from various units of Agriculture
textured vertisols which is swelling and shrinking in University, Kota. After that, idea of guava based
nature. The farmers of this zone grow sole crops like intercropping came to his mind and he discussed deeply so
soybean, wheat, mustard, garlic, coriander etc. Farmers many times regarding this with scientists of the university
face many problems viz. price issue at the time of selling who explained him that how guava based intercropping
because the above crops are in glut in the Mandi or in is better than sole crops. This type of cropping system
the market, therefore, farmers do not fetch good prices of utilise inter row space and nutrients judiciously until the
their produce. Apart from that, heavy and erratic rainfall main crop is affected by intercrop.
cause unbearable loses to the farmers, severe incidence He was advised to take guava as main crop because
of insect pests and diseases in the latter years, ultimately it is well suited to this agro-climatic zone, this region
reduces the yield and quality of the produce. also called Haroti region (comprises Kota, Baran, Bundi
and Jhalawar districts of Rajasthan). Farmer agreed to
Impact of Agriculture University take guava crop and established an orchard of 3 ha in
Sh. Ghanshyam belonging to Village Suhana, Block the year 2018. He had insufficient ground water for the

Guava and garlic intercropping Guava and chilli intercropping

May–June 2022 53
Table 1. Net returns obtained in different cultivation practices

Crop Area Gross return Total cost Net return BC ratio

Sole crop (Vegetables) 1.0 ha 391,600 110,240 281,360 2.55

Sole crop (Guava) 1.0 ha 503,690 118,430 385,260 3.25

Guava based intercropping 1.0 ha 760,053 148,070 611983 4.13

(Guava + Vegetables)

Guava + onion intercropping

Harvesting, cutting and curing of onion bulbs

summer crops, so he was advised to create a farm pond Summary

to harvest the rain water. Later he had farm pond for Sh. Ghanshyam regularly observe the prices online
fulfillment of irrigation water requirement and this pond and accordingly sells his produce in cities like, Kota,
was filled with rain water harvesting only. For irrigation, Jaipur, own farm etc. and elsewhere from where he gets
drip and check basin methods were adopted for guava more return. He uses social media actively on regular basis
and intercrops respectively. In between the rows of guava for promotion of produce like, farm/orchard photographs,
plants, farmer took onion, tomato, chilli, potato, cucurbits harvested produce, etc. He also adopted animal husbandry
(initially), marigold, garlic, etc. as intercrop. and properly utilises the by-products obtained from the
crops. Sh. Ghanshyam is popular among the farmers
Outcome community in his block for adopting new technologies and
According to farmer, sole crop of onion, potato, his success stories are published periodically in magazines
garlic, tomato, etc. gave average net return of ` 281,360 and newspapers. Being inspired by Mr. Ghanshyam,
per ha with B:C ratio of 2.55 . Whereas, in case of guava nearby farmers of his village and other villages are
as sole crop, net return of ` 385,260 per ha and BC ratio adopting new technologies and knowledge provided by
of 3.25 was observed. New intervention of guava based Agriculture University, Kota. He also inspires the farmers
intercropping with onion, potato, garlic, tomato and by providing training at his own farm for adopting new
cucurbits gave net return of ` 611,983 with BC ratio of interventions. Scientists of Agriculture University, Kota
4.13 (Table 1). also visit his field as and when he call them to solve his
problems.

For further interaction, please write to:

Rakesh Kumar Yadav (Assistant Professor), College of Agriculture,
Ummedganj-Kota, Agriculture University, Kota 324 001, Rajasthan.
*Corresponding author email: [email protected]

54 Indian Horticulture