District Profile

The district Ballia has a total reported area 299265 ha. out of which 215498 ha,(72%)is net sown area,42989 ha.(14.36%) under land utilized other than agriculture, 22419 ha.(7.49%) current and other fallow,1248 ha.(0.4%) cultivable waste land and 5792 ha.(1.94%) only under orchard, tree and shrubs with least forest land. The land under cultivable waste land , current and other fallow, Usar and uncultivable lands contributes about 13.58 per cent of total reported area is task for KVK to brings land under cultivation in coming future.

Total net sown area covers 74.99, 83.33 and 3.0 per cent in Kharif, Rabi and Zaid crop, respectively with 79.58 per cent irrigated area.This needs attention to increase the cropped area especially in Zaid. The total 171485 ha.(79.58%) of net sown area are irrigated, out of which major area (76.42%) irrigated with private tube well under sure irrigation which is more potential for diversification.

 

Holding Size

 

The average holding size of semi marginal, marginal and small farmers are only 0.26,0.72 and 1.31 ha.

Respectively and they needs proper attention for diversified and integrated farming system to enhance the income.

About 30 per cent area of the district is affected every year by low, medium and high flood, which caused miseries to animals and human population. The productivity of this area is also affected adversely due to floods needs attention. The large area of the district is under wheat followed by Paddy, Lentil, Potato, pigeon, Chick pea, Field pea, Sugarcane and Maize. Very limited area is covered under Oil seeds and Zaid Urd and Moong. The cropping intensity of the district is only 160.6 percent needs attention to increase. Mixed farming is very common practice among the marginal and small farmers because of CDR system with unorganized form also needs help to organize form through training, demonstration and exposure visit of success stories. The district is in progressive stage for vegetable cultivation mainly for onion, chilli, potato, Parval, vegetable pea, brinjal, tomato and cauliflower along with okra, muskmelon and watermelon in Zaid season. The fruit orchard especially mango, jack fruit, guava, papaya, banana and Aonla are existing in scattered places in unorganized form. Indigenous (Ganga Teeri) non- descript and cross breed cows and buffaloes in large numbers are reared by farmers. The district has also very good scope for goat, Poultry, sheep and pig forming looking of their population. The potential of fish forming has also can take a good income source due to large water bodies / ponds / river Ganga, Ghagara, Tounce and other small tributaries existing in the district.

 

Major farming systems/enterprises (based on the analysis made by the KVK)

 

P: Primary
S: Secondary
T: Tertiary
Q: Quarternery

Description of Agro-climatic Zone & major agro ecological situations (based on soil and topography)

An attempt has been made to work out feasible extension strategy and research agenda needed for the district. Ballia falls under agro-climatic east plain zone of Uttar Pradesh characterized by semi dry medium moisture availability with 180–210 days growing season and sub-humid climate with two dry season i.e. summer and winter and erratic soil moisture regimes. A deep thought has also been given to intensively and divisively suitable / adoptable farming system in order to fully utilize the natural resource available at the command of the farmers. Taking a holistic approach district is divided into following agro-ecological situation (AES ) on the basis of soil type and irrigation facilities.

 

 

Soil Type/s

The physiographic features are similar to that of associated soils of the Tarai Himalayas and Awed plains soil moisture regimes are ustic topic and soil temperature regime is hyperthermic. In ustic moisture regime soils have limited moisture with strong retaining capacity and readily available when required for plant growth. In these regimes the soils are formed by the weathered rock quartzite, phyllite and schist parent material with soil texture of clay loam Karail dominated (36.08%), loam (23.69), and sandy loam (17.41 %) are dominated in the district.

 

Area, Production and Productivity of major crops cultivated in the district

 

 

Weather data (Rainfall) (mm)

 

Data presented in above table indicate that about 70 percent of the total annual rainfall is received in the summer monsoon during the period of July to September that coincides with the Kharif cropping period. July and August are the peak period of the rainfall. During winter and early summer months, westerly depressions cause light showers in the area are good for rabbi harvest. Generally a rainfall of less than 30 mm per month indicates a dry month, because this amount of rain may not break the crust and even reach the upper layer of the moisture control section of the soil. Hence based on these criteria for a dry month, the number of dry months in the region attains the order of 6 or more from October to May.

 

Production and productivity of livestock, Poultry, Fisheries etc. in the district

 

 

Details of Operational area / Villages