Rainwater harvesting and protected cultivation of off-season vegetables

Climatic Vulnerability

Phek district suffers from heavy rainfall and soil erosion during April to October. A high incidence of insect-pests and diseases follows thereafter.Dryness prevails from November to February causing hindrance for cultivation of rabicrops. In high ranges of the hill, temperature reaches to the freezing point resulting in frosting during winter.

Interventions

Rainwater harvesting and protected cultivation of off-season vegetables:

Rainwater harvesting coupled with protected cultivation was introduced to reduce the effect of climatic variability on crops. Further, protected cultivation helps farmers to grow crops including off-season vegetables round the year.

Twenty farmers were trained on low-cost polyhouse construction and protected cultivation, followed by demonstrations on their fields. Thirteen low-cost polyhouses with an average size of 36 m² were constructed using locally available bamboo/wooden material. Farm ponds were also dug adjacent to the polyhouses for rainwater harvesting and to provide supplemental irrigation to the crops. The  king chilli or Naga chilli is a traditional food item used as spice by the Naga people. It is highly remunerative crop fetching about Rs 200/kg of fresh chilli.  At present 6 farmers of the village have taken up protected cultivation of king chilli. A progressive farmer Mr. Vecusuyi has earned about Rs 25000 from cultivation of king chilli in a single season from his polyhouse nursery. 

Economics (Rs) of King chilli cultivation under Polyhouse

 King chilli @ 200/kg; Seedlings @ Rs 10/seedling

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