Crop diversification for enhancing the productivity for food and nutritional security under the Eastern Himalayas

Abstract

Monocropping, low productivity, energy–use efficiency and net returns are some of the major factors that contribute to unsustainable agriculture production system in the Eastern Himalayas. Crop diversification is a sustainable option for enhancing the productivity for food and nutritional security of small and marginal farmers of the regions. A field study was carried at the farmers’ field by KVK, Longleng, Nagaland during 2013–15 to assess the most profitable rice– based system as rice–fallow, rice–toria, rice–vegetable pea (green pod), rice–tomato and rice–cabbage, respectively. Results revealed that rice yield ranges from 1.75–1.86/ha under the different cropping sequences. Significantly higher system rice equivalent yield (SREY) was recorded with rice–cabbage (30.6 t/ha) compared to other sequences. Land use efficiency (LUE), water use efficiency (WUE), system production efficiency (SPE) and system profitability had also significantly higher with rice–cabbage. The system energy returns, system net energy returns and system energy output efficiency had higher with rice–pea. Maximum values of system specific energy, system energy efficiency and energy profitability had noted with rice–fallow. Hence, it may be concluded that adoption of vegetables crops (cabbage/tomato) are the viable options for improving productivity, profitability and energy-use efficiency under foothill condition of Eastern Himalayas.