1. Introduction:
Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Phalodi was sanctioned in 31st March, 2012 by the ICAR, New Delhi as additional KVK in Jodhpur District under administrative control of SKRAU, Bikaner. It was later on transferred to Agriculture University, Jodhpur in September, 2013. It is situated 140 Km away from Jodhpur and 4 Km from Railway Station Phalodi on Mohra Village road.
The district occupies prominent place in the agro-climatic zone-I a, “Arid Western Plains Zone”. It covers total geographical area of 22,56,405 ha, accounting for 6.68 percent of the total reporting area of the Rajasthan state. Jodhpur district has 1838 villages, out of them 1836 villages are inhabited and 2 villages are uninhabited in the 11 blocks. The total population of the district is 36.87 lakh with 16.49 per cent scheduled castes and 3.23 per cent scheduled tribes. The sex ratio in the district is 916 and density of population is 161 per sq Km. The population of the Jodhpur district is predominantly rural based with 65.70 per cent of the total population living in villages among them 39.76 per cent are cultivators and 16.25 per cent are agricultural labourers. Literacy rate of district is 65.94 percent. 
The climate of the district is arid. The temperature varies from 47 0C in summer to 0 0C in winter. Although the average rainfall is around 254 mm, it is extraordinarily variable. The soil of the district is classified mainly as sandy and loamy soil which is low in organic matter and N, medium in P and K. The net sown area of the district is 14,05,226 ha which is 62.27 per cent of the total geographical area. The area sown more than once is 3,65,492 ha which is 26 per cent of the net sown area. The total cropped area of the district is 17,70,718 ha. The net irrigated area in the district is 4,62,865 ha which is 32.9 per cent of the net sown area. Main sources of irrigation besides rainwater are dug-wells and tube-wells.

KVK, Phalodi, Jodhpur-II Adm. Building	Farmer’s Hostel of KVK, Phalodi, Jodhpur-II

The crop sequences followed by cultivators are pearl millet-fallow, Kharif pulses-fallow, Kharif pulses-mustard under rain fed condition whereas groundnut-cumin, cotton-fallow and pearl millet-mustard/wheat/cumin under irrigated conditions. The productivity of green gram, moth bean, sesame, cumin and taramira are higher in comparison to state average. The district has diversified agriculture scenario with cultivation of number of field crop, vegetables, spices, medicinal crop and orchards. The total area under fruits and vegetables is about 21,104 ha with major area under onion (17,317 ha) in vegetables and pomegranate (247 ha) in fruits. The livestock population of the district is 35.90 lakh, out of which cattle is 8.48 lakh, buffalo 3.05 lakh, sheep 7.31 lakh and goat 16.82 lakh. Decreasing water table, saline and alkaline soil & underground water, harsh climate (frost and hot winds), blight & wilt in cumin, white grub in groundnut, wilt in castor, leaf curl in tomato & chilies, lack of quality planting material, destruction of crops by wild boars and blue bulls are some major problems of the district.
Promotion of good animal rearing practices, increasing productivity of crops through improved farming technologies, popularization of IPM, INM, IWM technologies of field and horticultural crops, introduction to drudgery reducing measures are major thrust area of this KVK.
The jurisdiction area of this KVK comprises of eight Tehsils of Jodhpur District- Phalodi, Shergarh, Lohawat, Baap, Osian, Dechu, Shekhala and Bapini. The KVK farm is having 20 ha land, out of which 8 ha land was brought under cultivation up to 2020 with mother orchard of ber and khejri, soil water testing laboratory, Azolla Unit, vermi-compost unit, waste decomposer unit, IFS model etc. Besides administrative building farmers’ hostel are also available. At present, Sr. Sci. and Head along with three SMS (Agronomy, Plant Protection & Home Science), two PA (Lab Technician and Computer Operator), one Stenographer, two Drivers and one Support Staff are working at KVK, Phalodi. The administrative building of KVK was inaugurated on 27th February, 2019 by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble MoS, Agril and farmer Welfare, GOI.
Table 1: Area and Productivity of major crops in Jodhpur District in 2015-16 & 2019-20*

*Krishi Vibhag GOR Jaipur

 

2. Training Achievements:
On Campus Trainings: KVK, Phalodi organized total 37 on campus training with participation of 1,223 farmers and farm women from 2015-16 to 2019-20. The major aspects were improved cultivation practices crop, integrated nutrient management, integrated weed management and integrated pest and disease management in groundnut, green gram, moth bean, chickpea, pearl millet and wheat as well as organic cultivation of cumin and isabgol, introduction of kharif onion, PP measure in kharif and rabi crops and fodder production for milch animals, etc.

On Campus Training Programme, Date- 12-13/06/ 2017, Venue-KVK Phalodi	On Campus Training Programme, Date- 09-10/01/2018, Venue-KVK Phalodi

Off Campus Trainings: The 1,438 farmers and farm women were trained in 60 off-campus trainings organized by the KVK, Phalodi during this period. The major aspects on which farmers were trained are micro-irrigation methods in major crops,  INM in Groundnut, integrated weed management in pulses, pearl millet and wheat, organic cultivation of cumin and isabgol, , management of orchard and fodder production for milch animals and clean milk production.

Off Campus Training Programme, Date-10/03/2017,  Venue- Village: Amla (Phalodi)	Off Campus Training Programme Date-17/12/2019 , Venue- Village: Nosar (Phalodi)

Sponsored Trainings: With financial support from ATMA Jodhpur, NRCSS Ajmer, NHRDF Kota, WDRA New Delhiand other line departments, total 53 sponsored training programmes were organized by this KVK with participation of 1,611 farmers and farm women during the reported period. The major aspects of trainings were ICM, INM, IWM, IPM in Kharif and Rabi crops, safe storage of grain and pulses, post-harvest management and food processing, formation of FPO, SHG etc.

Sponsored training programme in association with ATMA, Jodhpur,  Date- 26-27/12/2019,  Venue-  KVK, Phalodi	Sponsored training programme in association with WDRA, New Delhi, Date- 04/02/2020, Venue- KVK, Phalodi

Table 2:  On Campus, Off Campus and Sponsored agencies training organized for farmers

Year	On Campus Training		Off Campus Training		Sponsored Training
	No.	Participants	No.	Participants	No.	Participants
2015-16	03	132	10	285	12	360
2016-17	06	178	12	287	10	300
2017-18	05	110	03	43	09	291
2018-19	13	536	18	307	12	345
2019-20	10	267	17	516	10	315
Total	37	1223	60	1438	53	1611

3. Frontline Demonstrations:

a. FLDs on Pulses (NFSM): The NFSM was launched in India on 27th May 2007, but NFSM programme at KVK, Phalodi started from 2018-19. Major aspects and crops covered in NFSM-Pulses programme at selected villages were integrated crop management in green gram, moth bean and chickpea. Per cent yield increase in seed yield of demonstration plots over farmer's practice in green gram was from 19.5 to 39.4, in moth bean from 17.8-32.9 and in chickpea was from 13.6-37.4.

 

 

 

 

Field day organized at  FLD site  of green gram crop, Date- 22/09/2018 Venue-Village: Palli (Phalodi)	Field day organized at CFLD site of chick pea crop, Date- 12/03/2019 Venue-Village: Kalimali (Phalodi)

b. FLDs on Oilseeds (NFSM): NFSM-Oilseed programme was implemented by KVK, Phalodi from 2018-19 in selected villages of area under jurisdiction of Jodhpur district. Castor, sesame, groundnut and mustard were major oilseed crops under that programme. Results of NFSM-Oilseeds from 2015-16 to 2019-20 are depicted in Table 4.

 

Table 4: Seed yield and economics of FLD laid out at farmers’ fields under NFSM on oilseeds

Year and No.	Variety	Seed yield (q/ha)		Per cent increase over FP	Net Return (Rs/ha)		Add. Net Return (Rs/ha)	Site/ Village
		Farmer practice	Improved Practice		Farmer practice	Improved Practice
Castor
2015-16 (20)	GCH 7	28.00	35.0	25.0	1,12,000	1,40,000	28,000	Kalimali
2018-19 (25)	GCH 7	32.80	33.50	1.9	1,49,419	1,52,800	3,381	Govindpura
Sesame
2015-16 (10)	RT 346	4.90	6.00	22.5	24,500	30,000	5,500	Sekhasar
2018-19 (30)	RT 351	3.80	5.05	32. 9	24,780	35,750	10,970	Sekhasar
2019-20 (25)	RT 351	3.40	4.40	29.4	19,320	27,875	8,555	Sirmandi
Mustard
2016-17 (21)	PM 26	15.35	18.85	22.8	34,225	45,875	11,650	Nevra road/ palli
2017-18 (20)	PM 26	14.00	15.37	9.8	31,000	34,776	3,776	Kolhu
2018-19 (50)	DRMRIJ 31	14.70	19.80	34.7	45,630	65,003	19,373	Kalimali/ Bendo ka bera
2019-20 (200)	DRMRIJ 31	14.13	20.40	39.5	42,286	64,667	22,381	Jaloda, Mokheri, Dayakor, Untwaliya, Bhojka, Kalimali, Palli I, Jagriya & Kalran
Groundnut
2018-19 (50)	INM & IPM	21.00	26.10	24. 8	52,380	73,873	21,493	Barjasar
2019-20 (25)	HNG 143	20.76	25.92	24.9	55,598	78,823	23,225	Palli I

Demonstration field of pearl millet hybrid crop MPMH-17, Date- Kharif, 2019, Venue- Village: Kalimali (Phalodi)	Field day organise at  FLD site of cumin, Date- 02/03/2019, Venue-Village: Sirmandi

4. On Farm Trials:

Title: Management of white grub in groundnut crop
Result: The technology of application of Imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 300 ml/ha within 21 days of mass emergence of beetles in the field reduced the plant mortality due to infestation of white grub from 13.9 - 8.2 per cent and in turn increased yield by 19.2 per cent along with net return of Rs. 95,486/- per ha and B:C Ratio of 3.23. The result of OFT has been included in package of practices of Zone-I a (Arid Western Plain Zone) of Rajasthan in 2019-20.

Title: Assessment of sulphur requirement in mustard
Result: OFT on mustard crop was conducted at ten farmers' field. Result revealed that the most of growth parameters and seed yield in mustard were influenced by soil application of sulphur @ 40 Kg/ha in demonstration plot during 2018-19. The seed yield recorded with this practice (16.6 q/ha) was 12.2 per cent higher over farmers' practice. Application of sulphur @ 40 Kg/ha through gypsum recorded net return of Rs. 52,671/- per ha with B:C Ratio of 4.09.

OFT field of groundnut showing effect of assesses technology for white grub management during 2019-20	OFT field of mustard showing effect of sulphur as assesses technology during 2018-19

 

5. Villages Adopted and Activities carried out in Villages:

KVK, Phalodi adopted two villages namely Kalimali of Tehsil-Lohawat for farmers belonging to schedule caste and Bhojka of Tehsil- Phalodi for farmers belonging to other castes under Doubling Farmer's Income programme during 2018-19.

 The major activities carried out in adopted villages are FLDs on pearl millet, green gram, chickpea, mustard, etc. with trainings. Through efforts of KVK, the farmers' income was increased from Rs. 6000-12000 per annum per crop during 2019-20.

A National programme on Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY) was implemented at Bhojka village by KVK, Phalodi for enhancement of organic cultivation of wheat crop for three years from Rabi, 2019. Under PKVY scheme, KVK, Phalodi motivated farmers for adoption of organic farming at their field. KVK have built 20 vermi-compost units and waste-decomposer units at farmers' fields under this scheme and these farmers are earning additional income of Rs. 600/q by sailing organic wheat. Farmers are adopting these practices and started own business related to preparation of vermi-compost units at farmer's field and supply of different organic inputs like bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, waste decomposer etc. to organic producers.

 

Demonstration of improved variety of green gram i.e. GaM-5 at adopted village Kalimali during 2019-20	Establishment of vermi-compost unit at farmers field in village Bhojka under PKVY scheme during 2019-20

6. Seed Production: Instructional farm of KVK, Phalodi is under developing condition and crop cultivation was started from Kharif, 2018. Due to adverse climatic conditions, absence of fencing/ boundary wall and source of irrigation, seed production was failed at KVK, Phalodi during Kharif, 2018. During 2019-20, KVK has produced 8.42 q (dry leaves) of Sonamukhi with income of Rs 18,714/- and 13.19 q of Taramira with income of Rs 40,000/-. 

7. Other Products (Organic inputs): KVK, Phalodi produced and sold 800 packets (one kg each) of Vermi-compost, Waste-decomposer, Jeeva-amrit and Beeja-amrit for the benefit of farmers.
8. Special Programmes (National levels programmes)

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Inspired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s impetus on Jal Sanchay, the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) was a mission-mode water conservation campaign. During two phases of JSA: Phase one from 1st July to 15th September 2019 and Phase two from 1st October to 30th  November 2019., KVK, Phalodi organized four Kisan Melas on dated 26.07.2019 at Village Dewatu, 02.08.2019 at Village Sinhada, 03.09.2019 at Village Nosar and 02.10.2019 at KVK, Phalodi with aim of making water conservation a Jan Andolan through asset creation and extensive communication.  Different officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the line Departments participated in these events. A total of fifteen hundred farmers attended these fairs.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana: PMKSNY was launched on 24.02.2019 in India. In this programme, small and marginal farmers were given direct cash benefit of  Rs. 6,000/- in three installment for financial empowerment. Live webcasting on PMKSNY was organized at adopted village Kalimali of KVK, to aware farmers regarding PMKSNY. In all, 150 farmers attended the event.

Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): To accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage and to put the focus on sanitation, the Prime Minister of India had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2nd October 2014. Under this mission, all villages, Gram Panchayats, Districts, States and Union Territories in India should declared themselves "open-defecation free" (ODF) by 2nd October 2019, the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by constructing over 100 million toilets in Rural India. KVK, Phalodi celebrated SBM from 11th September to 20th October, 2019 at different villages with participations of 350 persons including farmers, farm women, youths, officials and others.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan, 03.09.2019 at Village Nausar, Tehsil- Osian, Jodhpur	Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Date- 24/02/2019, Venue- Village: Kalimali (Phalodi)

9. Kisan Mela/Sammelan:

Pre-Rabi Kisan Sammelan: Kisan Sammelan was organized on 22nd Dec., 2018 at KVK, Phalodi premises to disseminate package of practices of Rabi crops amongst the farmers of Jodhpur District. The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Balraj Singh, HVC, AU, Jodhpur as Chief Guest and Dr. Ishwar Singh, DEE as Special Guest. Latest agricultural technology were displayed by twenty five exhibition stalls by different line departments and private companies with participation of one hundred and eighty five farmers and farm women.

Dr. Balraj Singh, Hon'ble Vice Chancellor, AU, Jodhpur addressing farmers during Pre-Rabi Kisan Sammelan, Date- 22/12/2018, Venue-KVK, Phalodi	Exhibition of latest technology by KVK, Phalodi during Pre-Rabi Kisan Sammelan at on 22/12/2018 at KVK Phalodi

10. Other activities of KVK (No.): KVK, Phalodi organized 28 field days, 7 exhibitions, 51 film shows and 20 farmer- scientist interactions. The problem of white grub and coller rot in pea nut crop, farmers were apprised with the management technology of these pest in farmer- scientist interactions. KVK, Phalodi also provided advisory services to 2341 farmers and attended 33 diagnostic field visit.

11. Publications: During this period (2015-16 to 2019-20), 01 Extension Manuals, 03 Research Papers, 25 Leaflets, 02 pamphlets and 17 Popular Articles were published for the benefit of farmers.

 

12. Five major revolutions happened in the jurisdiction area of KVK during 2015-16 to 2019-20

• Chickpea variety GNG-1581, Gangaur was introduced for first time during 2016-17 in Villages: Padasala and Bendo ka bera of Lohawat block of Jodhpur District. This variety performed very well under irrigated condition. Looking to the success of this variety about 20 farmers kept the produced for seed purpose and it was sold to the others fellow farmers. This intervention resulted in horizontal spread of this variety in about 400 ha.

• Improved hybrid of Pearl millet i.e. MPMH-17 was introduced in the jurisdiction area under KVK, Phalodi during 2015-16 in Osian and Lohawat block of Jodhpur district. Currently this hybrid is covering about 1000 ha in Phalodi, Lohawat, Osian and Shergarh blocks of district.

 

• In case of vegetables, Kharif Onion was promoted by KVK, Phalodi at Villages Kalimali, Amla and Lordiya during 2018-19 due to low cost of cultivation, less irrigation requirement and high market price of bulbs during the winter season. The cultivation of Kharif onion has a horizontal spread of 100 ha in Phalodi and Lohawat blocks of the districts.

• KVK, Phalodi carried out two certificate trainings for Retail Fertilizer Dealers (15 Days duration) and One course of "Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers" (DAESI, of 48 weeks) for fertilizer dealers and innovative rural youths. These trained fertilizer dealers and innovative rural youths have setup their own business and it has been noticed that they are providing technical advice to farmers on various models of IFS.

 

• Survey indicated that implementation of mandatory activities of KVK have increased income of various group of farmers by 20-25 per cent. Establishment of different modules of IFS, vermi-compost units, Azolla units, arid fruit orchards with pressurize irrigation and use of improved varieties/hybrids of different crops as well as fodder crops like Napier grass and use of recommended doses of pesticides are under popularization among the farmers of Phalodi area are common now a days.

13. Other Significant Achievements:

• KVK administrative building has been completed and KVK staff shifted in new building in February, 2019. Construction of Farmer Hostel has been completed in 2020.

 

• Demonstration of Vermi-compost units, Azolla unit, organic input production units and Integrated Farming System (IFS) unit have been developed at KVK Instructional Farm during 2019-20.

• Mother orchard of Khejri (var. Thar Shobha) and Ber (var. Sev & Gola) has been established in year 2019-20.

 

• Fencing of KVK Instructional Farm with coverage of 75 per cent area has been implemented by available local resources. KVK instructional farm was brought under cultivation by removal of Prosopis juliflora and levelling of farm. Crop cultivation has been started from Kharif, 2019.

• Soil and water testing laboratory has started functioning during 2019 and regular analysis of samples is being done for the farmers.

 

• Tube well have been dug out and installation of solar pump, submersible motor and water reservoir is under construction at KVK farm funded under scheme of CM Budget Announcement, Section-64 with allocation of 21.37 lakhs through PHED, Phalodi.