High Ridge and Deep Furrow Technology

About 50% of the farmland is shaped into alternate ridges (1.5 m top width ×1.0 m height × 3m bottom width) and furrows (3m top width × 1.5 m bottom width × 1.0 m depth). These ridges remain free of waterlogging during Kharif with less soil salinity build up in dry seasons (due to higher elevation and presence of fresh rain water in furrows). Remaining portion of the farmland including the furrows is used for growing more profitable paddycum-fish cultivation in Kharif. The rainwater harvested in furrows is used for irrigation. The remaining portion of farmland (non-furrow and non-ridge area) is used for low water requiring crops during dry (rabi/summer) seasons. The rain water stored in furrows is used for initial irrigations during rabi. The water stored in furrows is also used for fish cultivation and supplementary irrigation in Kharif. The ridges are used for cultivation of vegetables and other horticultural crops round the year instead of monocropping with rice in Kharif. The rain water stored in furrows keep the root zone soil relatively saturated with fresh water during the initial dry months after Kharif, thus reduces upward capillary flow of brackish water from shallow subsurface layer and thereby reducing the salinity build up in soil. The furrows provide better drainage and protect the crops from damages due to occasional heavy rains in rabi/ summer due to climatic disturbances. Water harvested in furrows from such rains also provides additional source of irrigation. This technology can be adopted in areas where farm pond technology cannot be adopted due to presence of acid sulphate soil at shallow soil depth. This technology enhances the livelihood security by increasing farm income and employment generation.