Constraints Being Faced by the Farmers in the Adoption of Diggi Based Farming System

In the Agro-climatic zone IC of Rajasthan, India, it is very often a challenge to store rain/surface water for year round used for agricultural and allied practices. The Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojana (IGNP) canal system has transformed desert lands into productive areas, but unreliable water supply hinders optimal crop production. The inhabitants of this desert area have developed several water storage structures, which they used to construct based on their indigenous knowledge of local terrain conditions. Recently, farmers living in the lower command areas of Indira Gandhi Canal have constructed micro-farm water storage structures, called diggi, in their cropland, but the farmers are facing various obstacles in adoption of diggi based farming system. This study evaluated constraints faced by the farmers in the adoption of diggi based farming system in Agro-Climatic Zone-IC of Rajasthan. The study employed an ex-post-facto research design, selecting Bikaner district due to its high number of constructed diggi under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) / Mukhyamantri Krishak Sathi Yojana (MKSY). A sample of 180 farmers (90 beneficiaries and 90 non-beneficiaries) was selected using proportionate random sampling. Data were analyzed using statistical tools like mean percent score, t-test and spearman's rank correlation. The study revealed that the most important constraints faced by the respondents in the adoption of diggi based farming system were lack of availability of water due to canal closure, high initial cost of construction of diggi, insufficient supply of electricity for irrigating fields; untrained farmers feel difficulty in construction of diggi and lack of motivation of farmers towards construction of diggi.