Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLDs) on chickpea under NFSM through KVKs in Karnataka: A pathway for bridging yield gap

Chickpea, also known as Bengal gram or Chana, is widely cultivated across the country in many states of which Karnataka is one. Although, India contributes 26 per cent in international market of pulses, India’s average productivity is still quite low (841 kg/ha) as compared to the international average of 1023 kg/ha. Towards increasing pulses productivity and production in the country, a project on Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLDs) on pulses under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) is a noble initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. As a part of the project, field demonstrations on Chickpea were conducted in 427 ha by involving 1066 farmers through Eight KVKs in Karnataka during rabi 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23. Results indicated that the average yield obtained in all three years 13.31 q/ha (2020-21), 13.76 q/ha (2021-22) and 13.73 q/ha (2022-23) was at par as well as high with demonstrations as compared to the existing local varieties 10.61 q/ha, 10.78 q/ha and 11.13 q/ha) with 25.17%, 27.89% and 23.67% yield increase, respectively. The average economic returns gained was high Rs.45619.75/ha (2020-21), Rs.34934.38/ha (2021-22) and Rs.41389.13/ha (2022-23) with BCR of 2.29, 2.32 and 2.65 in demonstration plots as compared to farmers plots which is in accordance with the yield obtained and selling price of the produces in their respective KVK districts. Thus, the average yields obtained from all three demonstrated varieties viz., BGD-103, JAKI-9218 and BGD-111-1 were on par in all three years individually and among. It is pertinent to note that the average demonstration yield was high in all three years in all eight KVK districts as compared to checks and gained economic returns accordingly over the checks. Yield gap analysis indicates that the demonstrated technologies are feasible in the existing farming situations of all eight districts. CFLD Farmers expressed that the demonstrated varieties along with production technologies were effective and profitable. It clearly indicates that the productivity and production of pulses, especially in Chickpea, could be enhanced through CFLD project by educating the farmers on newly released varieties coupled with recommended production technologies. Further, large scale promotion of these demonstrated technologies may have to be taken up for wide dissemination so as to reap the technology benefit among more farmers.