yth

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.