The technological impact of production and farmers' income of vegetable pigeon pea growers under the rainfed situation in Panchmahal of Gujarat

Abstract

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is a key pulse crop cultivated primarily for grain, though it is also harvested as a vegetable when the pods are immature. In Gujarat, pigeonpea often substitute for green pea [Pisum sativum (L.)]. However, the district’s pigeonpea productivity remains low. Efforts to boost yields and expand pigeonpea cultivation have focused on adopting high-yielding varieties (HYVs), such as the Vaishali variety. To compare the performance of traditional pigeonpea varieties with HYVs, the KVK conducted 225 front-line demonstrations from 2017 to 2021 on farmers’ fields, aiming to showcase the benefits of improved varieties over local ones and encourage farmers to adopt enhanced production practices. These demonstrations, which involved scientifically backed and practical farming techniques, resulted in an average yield of 81.6 q/ha and a net return of Rs. 99,250/ha, compared to 50.32 q/ha yield and Rs. 40,980/ha under traditional farming methods. The cost-benefit ratio for the improved technology reached 4.08, significantly higher than the 2.17 ratio from farmers' practices. This favorable cost-benefit ratio highlights the economic benefits of adopting the improved technology, which successfully motivated farmers to incorporate the recommended interventions. This technology is well-suited to increasing the productivity of summer green gram crops and demonstrates the effectiveness of KVK's technology transfer initiatives.