There are five basic elements
(Panch Tatva) which are required for production of biomass at any given time
and at any given place. These basic items are Soil (Pruthvi); Water (Jal); Air
(Vayu or Sameer); Energy (Agni) and Space (Aakash). If all these elements are
managed properly than more productivity per unit area can be achieved that too
with optimum use of every resource.
The program envisages producing
greater quantity of biomass per unit area using minimum amount of water. In
Cover Management program we take a system approach in which there are three
steps i.e. production of biomass, its processing (for preservation, production
diversification and marketing) in a fashion which is ecologically Sound,
Economically Viable and Socially just. These objectives are achieved by
addressing several issues listed below.
Soil and Water Management: Management
of these resources is necessary in an area where the land is denuded. Following
are some actions which play a crucial role in the management of soil and water.
Ridge to valley approach for
ensuring minimum soil erosion and minimum water runoff;
Large scale Plantation in waste
land;
Construction of Continuous
contour trenches (CCT)
Making Loose Boulder Structures
(LBS)
Digging Farm Ponds
Erecting Earthen Dams and
Inserting Cement Plugs (CP) in
drainage lines.
These measures ensure
availability of water round the year for agriculture, horticulture, social
forestry etc.
• Plantation Pattern (considering
favorable association between different species): Promoting multi tier
plantation system having favorable association between different plant species.
The multitier system is resilient to natural perturbation and gives quality
biomass from variety of plant species which is useful in diverse fashion.
• Nutrient Management: The
detritus cycle prevalent in the nature is allowed to operate in this system and
it is reinforced by making different kinds of manure i.e. NADEP, Vermi, Liquid
Fertilizer, Bio Fertilizers, Green Manure, Biodynamic preparations etc.
Management of Solar radiation:
With reference to radiation there are two kinds of plant species i.e.
Halophytes (Plants which need bright sun light and their chloroplast needs
radiation of wave length of 680 nm) and Sciophytes (Plants which need deem or filtered
sun light and their chloroplast can work even in radiation whose wave length is
700 nm)
Space Management: In
biodiversified plant community every inch of given space is used to produce
organic material. The biomass is produces at four different levels
Top canopy of halophytes
Middle canopy of facultative
halophytes or facultative sciophytes
Ground canopy of Sciophytes and
Underground tuberous plants.
The productivity of such plant
community is 2.5 times more than the monoculture farm.
Extension Activities: By
implementing “Land Cover Management” Program in an experimental plot CSV could
produce 2.5 times more biomass (per unit area), than the conventional system
(i.e. mono culture system), using same diverse sources of water i.e. liquid
water; humidity; fog; dew; capillary water; transpired water etc.
These technologies are
transferred to more than 100 grass root agencies working for farmers, artisans,
women and youths.