Successful Establishment of IFS Model by Shri. Rajappa Kariyappa Madar
of Kalkeri  Village, Taluk Dharwad.

Crop husbandry activity in Dharwad district of Northern Karnataka under rainfed situation is mainly dependent upon south-west monsoon. Due to monoculture, unpredictable weather conditions, crop failures and unstable market prices small and marginal farmers are facing problems. Due to these perpetual problems, satisfactory returns to investments have not been realized and growers are exposed to high degree of risk and uncertainity. Under such circumstances to ensure sustainable living, adoption of integrated land use practices is of great significance. In this regard Krishi Vigyana Kendra, Saidapur farm, Dharwad conducted Integrated farming system demonstrations for economically backward caste Scheduled caste and Scheduled tribe communities in Dharwad Taluk under special component programme funded by Government of Karnataka with the objective and Empowerment of SC/ST farm families through Integrated farming system demonstration in Dharwad district involving 438 farm families.

In this, firmly existing farming system was assessed for their viability and applicability and suitable modified farming system was formulated. Among the many SC farm, woman beneficiaries one Shri. Rajappa Kariyappa Madar of Kalkeri village in Dharwad Taluk has become role model for adopting IFS demonstrations, by integrated farm resources he adopted crop production, vegetable and flower production, Azolla, Fish rearing, Vermicompost and Dairy activities resulting in sustainable and regular income and increase employement generation from 180 to 270 days in a year. In Kharif he has cultivated soybean (Dsb-21), Maize and Bt Cotton. During Rabi he has taken up cultivation of vegetables along with sorghum. Added to this he has taken up aster cultivation (variety: kamini) and marigold (orange double). During the festivals the marigold yield has increased his earning by Rs. 2000/-. He has cultivated fodder maize and feeding after cutting into smaller pieces. He is preparing cattle feed at home by mixing, grits of maize cowpea/ horsegram, paddy husk. He has also started azolla cultivation and feeding azolla to cow and buffalo. He owns a cow and a buffalo (murrah breed). He has also taken up vermicomposting on large scale by utilizing the agricultural waste and cowdung.

Practical utility: The vegetable cultivation during Rabi has added to the income of Shri. Rajappa by raising his income by Rs. 15,800/- in ½ acre of land. The vermicomposting has increased her income by Rs. 4,600/-. Fodder maize stalks are cut into small pieces and then fed to buffalo & cow. There is no wastage in the fodder by following this technique. Around 75 to 100 g of azolla is fed to buffalo by which there is increase in the milk yield upto ½ litre.For Azolla a pit of 10x3. 
The cow milk yield is upto 10 liters per day and the buffalo milk yield on an average 6 liters per day. He is also marketing milk to Dharwad where he gets price of Rs. 28/-and 34 per litre for bufalo’s and cow’s milk respectively. Hence the net income of Rajappa is  Rs. 14,520/- per month (cost of maintenance of animals is Rs. 3,900/-. By following the Integrated Farming System the net income received by Shri. Rajappa is Rs. 1,78,000/- during 2012-13 raising his income by Rs. 54,950/-  when compared to 2011-12.