| Details of Innovation |
Salinity ingress is a major problem in employing the route of major irrigation dams for improving agricultural crop production. When the soil turns saline, it creates problems in inter-culturing and in drainage. It produces less and gradually turns fallow. The problem is particularly severe in the costal region and India has a very long coastline. Salinity has developed in the command areas of most major irrigation dams and farmers are often forced to use salilne irrigation water.
To have normal yields from salinity-ingressed soil, it needs to be reclaimed. Sitapura advocates a traditional method of soil reclamation in vogue in Surendranagar region of Gujarat for tackling the salinity problem in large command areas. It involves using rainwater to flush salts from contaminated lands.
With the help of a bullock-drawn multipurpose tool bar locally known as "santi", scrape off the topsoil from the field. Tractor-drawn harrows may be used as an alternative. Dump the collected earth at the periphery and use it to raise bunds around the field. Dig trenches and communicating canals within the field.
Rainwater is allowed to fill in the field. This salt accumulated in the second layer gets dissolved in the water. This water is transferred from trench to trench and finally drained off. The accumulated salts get drained off too along with this water.
Sitapura admits that this traditional method involves foregoing the use of the land for a whole season. However, this method is sustainable and periodically rejunuvates the land. Moreover, the land can be used to raise fodder crop and foliage for composting into manure.
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