PACKAGE PROGRAMME IN TRIBAL VILLAGES OF POLAVARAM TD BLOCK WEST GODAVARI DISTRICT

Abstract

Tribal agriculture suffers from inadequate soil and water conservation, antiquated equipment and methods of cultivation, a multitude of plant pests and diseases, uneconomic holdings, insecurity of tenure, in sufficient finances, inadequate and costly credit, lack of incentives to increase production, inadequate knowledge of extension work and the problems connected with agricultural development. India has been aiming at attainment of self sufficiency in food grains and all the three Five Year Plans had the necessary stress and emphasis towards this end. The simple crop production plan, the core of the package programme, will be prepared for all the cultivators in each village. The present study is intended to make a study of Intensive Agricultural District Programme in action in tribal villages of Polavaram Tribal Development Block in West Godavari district. This Block consists of 62 villages with a population of 29,119. The total population in this block is 14,315 most numerous of whom are Koyas and Konda Reddis. The major crops grown in this block are paddy, jowar, pulses, tobacco, oil seeds, vegetables etc. The average yield of paddy per acre in this block is 10 bags in favourable conditions. The package programme was started on modest scale for selected crops it has gradually been extended to cover more number of crops in most of the villages of the Block. Out of the 62 villages of the block, 47 villages were covered by the package programme in 1966. Out of 47 villages covered by the package programme 40 are tribal villages. The remaining 15 villages could not be covered by package programme since there are no package crops such as paddy, sugar cane, tobacco etc. Hence three villages with some criteria mentioned in the report were selected for study to find out as to how the tribal farmers have taken to improved practices envisaged under Intensive Agricultural District Programme and also to assess the extent of diffusion of the programme. The study of the three villages reveals that almost all the cultivators are paddy growers. The tribals did not raise the crops recommended in their simple crop production plans other than paddy. The use of improved seeds, seed treatment with fungicide, seed rate, season for sowing nurseries, nursery and plant protection measures, use of chemical fertilizers, farm yard or cattle manure, method of transplantation details also mentioned in this report.