THIRTY FIVE YEARS OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT FOR DRYLAND AGRICULTURE : ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACTS (1976 to 2012)

Not AvailableAgriculture is the backbone of Indian economy and rainfed agro-ecosystem occupies an important place in Indian agriculture, covering 68 per cent of the cultivated area (96 m.ha) supporting 40 per cent human, 60 per cent livestock population and producing 44 per cent of the food requirements thus playing a pivotal role in India’s food security. Five out of ten Agro-Climatic Zones in Karnataka were classified as dry zones covering 63 per cent of the total geographical area and 71 per cent of the net sown area, with substantial contribution to agricultural production from dry lands. About 57 per cent of food grain production in Karnataka comes from rainfed areas while, 97 per cent of total pulses and 80 per cent oilseeds were produced in dry land areas. Research on dryland agriculture in the red soil regions of Karnataka was started in 1970 with the establishment of All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA) at Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK), Bangalore,Not Availabl