In Cover Management Program it is observed that the productivity of a unit area is proportional to the availability of moisture for evaporation & transpiration and its relationship can be expressed by the following formula
Y = B X [0.6 X r]
Y = Yield; r = moisture available to crop (it may vary from 400 to 3,000 mm); 0.6 = is a constant and B = A variable the value of which is 20 in poorly managed land and 50 in well managed land. Well managed land has following features
Soil Resource Management: Protection of top soil against erosion by various physical and biological means.
Water Resource Management: Contour bunding, Nallha Plugging, making LBS & Cement Plugs, digging percolation tanks in farms and fields and plantation is promoted to maximise percolation of water in subsoil strata.
Emitter Irrigation System: This system makes use of suction power & capillarity of soil to deliver moisture directly in rhizosphere of plant. The system is 10 times more efficient than the flood irrigation and 3 times more efficient than drip irrigation system and makes use of gravitational force.
Nutrient Resource Management & Composting: In situ decomposition of biomass and administration of small doses of micro-flora in the field in addition to composts made using NADEP, Vermi and Bio Dynamic methods ensures supply of balance diet to the crop in the field or forests.
Biological Resource Management: A sustainable, multi-tiered plantation pattern is derived for number of agro-climatic zones. In these patterns minimum external energy intensive measures are used and it produces optimum amount of quality biomass of diverse nature.
Biological System of Pests Management: It is achieved by promoting biodiversity in a plantation plot; planting decoy plants; preparation of herbal aqueous pest repellants; application of NPV etc.
Management of Biomass Based Small Scale Processing Units: Raw biomass (cereals, pulses, vegetables, tubers, flowers, fruits and seeds) is processed for preservation product diversification and value addition
Social Aspects: A small group of 10 members form a self help group (SHG) and manage a plot for getting opportunities of self employment.
Result: Productivity of land is 2.5 times more than the mono cultured field
Technology Transfer: The program is being replicated in 55 villages of Wardha District where Joint Forest Management (JFM) program is being implemented.
