Livelihood security of small holder farmers in eastern Himalayas, India: Pond based integrated farming system a sustainable approach

Farming in eastern Himalayan region of India is a high risk activity due to climatic uncertainty, lack of resources with small and marginal farmers and non-adoption of improved technologies. Pond based integrated farming system (IFS) is a whole farm approach aims at increasing production, employment and income through integration of various farming enterprises (rice, vegetables, fruits, fish, pigs, poultry, goat and others) as per climate, social acceptability and market demand. Eleven farm pond based IFS models were evaluated in 150 farmers' field covering 22.5 ha area in South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, India during 2009–14 in a participatory approach. The individual farming system unit considered in present study was 0.15 ha. The study revealed that productivity and income of farmers under pond based IFS improved substantially over farmers' practice. The maximum rice equivalent yield (REY) was obtained under model 6 (pond + rice + vegetables + pig integration, 4.04 Mg) followed by model 8 (pond + vegetable + pig + fruit integration, 4.02 Mg) and the lowest was recorded under farmers' practice (rice + vegetables, 0.53 Mg). IFS model 6 (74.3 kg unit−1 year−1) followed by 8 (60.2 kg unit−1 year−1) had noticeably higher protein equivalent yields over rest of the models. The IFS model 6 emerged as the best model because of high net return (INR. 23,900 unit−1 year−1, 1$ = INR 67), employment generation (81 man-days unit−1 year−1) as well as higher productivity in terms of REY (4.04 Mg unit−1 year−1) whereas, farmers' practice registered low net return (INR. 4120 unit−1 year−1), employment (42 man-days unit−1 year−1) and productivity (0.61 Mg unit−1 year−1). The Sustainable Value Index and System Economic Efficiency of IFS models 6 and 8 were much higher than other models. The overall results revealed that pond based IFS has the potential to provide year round food, nutrition, employment opportunities and substantially increase income of resource poor rural house-holds of the study region in Eastern Himalayas, India