SITE SUITABILITY ANALYSIS FOR GROWING SHORT DURATION CROPS IN POST KHARIF RICE-RABI FALLOWS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY FOR FOUR DISTRICTS OF EASTERN INDIA
<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> India is one of the leading rice producing countries in the world. In eastern part of the country, after harvesting of <i>kharif</i> rice crops, large area remains fallow, mostly due to unavailability of irrigation facility. Approximately 30 percent of total <i>kharif</i> rice area (i.e. around 12&thinsp;Mha) is left fallow during <i>rabi</i> season. Government of India, in order to improve the land productivity, cropping intensity and food security, has taken up various initiatives to grow pulses in these areas. A project was launched under the National Food Security Mission for use of satellite remote sensing for suitability analysis towards crop intensification in 6 eastern Indian states. Before execution of the project an exploratory study was carried out for 4 selected districts of 2 major rice-fallow states of the country. The selected districts were Raipur and Surguja districts of Chhattisgarh state and Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts of Odisha state. <i>Kharif</i> rice area was mapped using RISAT-1 SAR data, while rabi fallow area was mapped using Resourcesat-2 AWiFS and Landsat-8 OLI data. Suitable area for growing pulses were analysed with respect to various soil, weather and land parameters such as, mean monthly air temperature (&deg;C), Slope (%), Surface wetness, Plant available water capacity (mm) and proximity to drainage network. The post <i>kharif</i> rice-<i>rabi</i> fallow area, in these districts ranged between 20–40% of the geographical area, while the suitable area was found to be in range of between 8–12%. Thus, this exploratory study could show, with remote sensing and other agro-physical parameters, it is possibly not only to map the rice–fallow area, but also to assess the suitability of growing short duration <i>rabi</i> crops.</p>