Agronomy Division - Land consolidation to improve rice productivity

Small plots reduce water and machinery use efficiencies of rice cultivation, increase labour cost for bund preparation and maintenance, reduce production and farmers income. Combining small paddy parcels into larger and better shaped plots increases the average plot size and the cultivated extent approximately for 3-5%.  It also increases the yield and farmers income while reducing the cost of cultivation and labour for bund preparation (an average of 5 labour/ha). 

The plots having same elevation or elevation difference around <15 cm is suitable to combine. The paddy lands situated in slopy lands (Helmalu rice cultivation) should not be selected. Before combining, the land and bund area are measured and the number of small plots is counted. A field plan of each land parcel is drawn and the bunds those needed to remove and make straight are demarcated. Plots should be combined with a minimum disturbance to the top soil. Irregular shape plots are made into rectangular shape by making the bunds straight. The new bund should be prepared while the old bund is still in the field and it should be cut off completely once the new bund gets hard enough. After combining, all enlarged plots should be properly leveled.  The number of large plots are counted and the bund area left behind is measured to calculate the percentage of bund area removed.