Study the Impact of Integrated Farming System on Reducing Cost of Cultivation and Increasing Income of Farmers in Chatra District of Jharkhand

Abstract

The study was conducted on purposively selected Mardanpur village of Chatra block in Chatra district where Sri. Danbhushan Lakra, Progressive farmer has developed a unique model of integrated farming system (IFS) in his 5 acres of the farm. He has designed the farm and segregated the land as per the crops and animal requirement. The IFS model comprised of field crops in 2 acres, vegetables in 1 acre, fruit plants in 0.5 acres, a pig farm in 0.25 acre, a dairy farm in 0.25 acre, Poultry in 0.25 acre, composite fish farming in 0.75 acres. Sri Danbhushan Lakra has adopted the best practices of farming under technological support of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chatra. The productivity and economic return of different enterprises and commodities were calculated and compared with previous productivity and economics. The result indicated that Sri. Danbhushan Lakra has got more than 80 per cent additional yield and profit on different enterprises, which are integrated into the farming system. He has reduced 60% external input like the feed of animal, chemical fertilizer requirement, overall he earns the annual net income Rs. 94430.75 that is 68.6% more as compared to his previous income. It happens due to the interrelation set of enterprises used so that the waste from one component became input for another part of the system, which reduced cost and increased productivity.