Gypsum for Reclamation of Sodic Soil

Following diagnostic procedures, application of 10-15 tons gypsum per ha is applied followed by mixing of surface (10 cm) soil. Before gypsum is applied, field leveled, bunded, irrigation water is applied to leach down the salts. About 2.07 Mha sodic soils have been reclaimed using gypsum application technology. The reclaimed area contributes around 16.60 million tonnes of food grains to the National pool. Farmers obtained 4 tonnes/hectare rice and 2 tonnes/hectare wheat yield from reclaimed alkali land right from the first year of the reclamation, which increased to 5 and 3 tonnes/hectare during 3rd year onwards, respectively with an increment cost of Rs. 76500/ha. The agricultural income generated from the reclaimed soil is Rs. 25320 crores. This also provides an employment opportunity to about 28 crore man days annually. Its Net Present Worth estimated to be Rs. 2, 80,000/ha, Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 2.47 and Internal Rate of Return of 67% of the technology. The technology improved soil health, increased resource use efficiency, raised farm income, reduced poverty, minimized inequity, reduced flood hazards and water logging, recharge groundwater and improve quality of overall environment.