Location, Extent & Population:

The district Dumka is located at the central and North-eastern plateau zone of BIHAR but now it comes under newly born state Jharkhand. The district comprises of two sub-division namely, Dumka and Jamtara. There are 14 blocks in the district viz; Dumka, Jama, Jarmundi, Saraiahat, Ramgarh, Kathikund, Gopikandar, Sikaripara, Raniswar, Maslia, Jamtara, Naraynpur, Nala and Kundhit. The district is having 4119 villages under 282 Panchayat. The total population is 14, 95,628 which maintains an approximate male to female ratio of 1.04:1. The tribal population is 43% of the total population.

Agro-Climate:

The climate of the district is characterized by hot summer and cool winter. The average annual rain fall varies from 1300 to 1400 mm which covers about 80% of the PET.  The district experiences a prolonged dry period from January to May which keeps the soil dry for more than 90 days in a year. As such the area, in general, qualified for typiustic soil moisture regime. The length of growing period varies from 150 to 180 days.

Physiography and Soils:

The landscape of the district is characterized by gentle to very gentle slopes.  Soil are sandy loam to clay loams, non-calcareous, slightly to moderately acidic and have location exchange capacity.  The soils are generally shallow on the ridges and plateaus and deep in the valleys.

Land Use:

The total geographical area of the district is 5.58 lakh hectare, out of which nearly 40% area comes under net cultivable land, 11% under forest and the rest 49% falls under barren cultivable waste, pasture, current follows and land put to other than agriculture use. The details of land use pattern in the district is given in table 2.1. Out of 2.18 lakh hectare net cultivable land, about 50% is under upland situation, 30% under medium land and 20% under low land situation.

Cropping pattern, Area and Productivity of major agricultural crops in Dumka district :

                    Rain fed farming system is the traditional practice followed by the farmers of this area.  The Major crops grown in the district are rice, pulses such as moong, black- gram, pigeon pea and horse gram.  Wheat is grown during rabi season mostly mustard and linseed , and pulses e.g. gram are also grown on stored or residual soil moisture.  In some places, potato is also grown under irrigated condition.  during the last five years there has been a marked increase in area under vegetable at some places in the district.   

The important cropping patterns followed in different parts of the districts are as follows.

                I. Mono-cropping : Rice/ maize/ Pigeon Pea/ groundnut/ horse gram

In some area, farmers follow inter-cropping of Maize with Pigeon pea/ Cowpea

                II. Double cropping : Rice wheat, Rice Mustard, Maize -wheat, Maize-Mustard, Rice-Potato, Rice-vegetable

At few places in the district, where irrigation water is available also in summer, farmers take rice and vegetable at very scanty level.                           

TABLE -2 : AREA PRODUCTIVITY OF MAJOR AGRICULTURAL CROPS

Horticulture:             

The horticulture department was established in 1990 to promote the fruits and vegetable cultivation in the district.  The main objective of the department is to provide improved technologies and impart training to the farmers to boost up the production fruits and vegetables.  The total area under horticulture crops is 0.2 lakh hectare which is about 14% of the cultivated area. 

The existing orchards of mango and litchi are very old and the yield are on down fall side due to lack of maintenance.  There is one progeny nursery in Dumka, namely Shilandha.  There are also five block nurseries in the district.  However, the infrastructure of these nurseries are very poor and they can not cater the demand of saplings.

Fisheries :                  

There is a great shortage of fish production in the Dumka district.  According to 1996-97, the areas under fish cultivation is 32 acres with the production capacity of 2200 fingerlings per annum.  Both government and private agencies are involved in distribution of fingerlings.  There are only 15 tanks/ reservoirs at five blocks in the district.  Thus, the suitable lands lying fallow should be brought under inland fisheries.

Sericulture :               

Sericulture plays important roles in the development of economy of this district.  A large number of tribal are engaged in this activity.  There are tasar seed supply station at Kathikund, Dumka ( by central government) and few training centres and storages centres for starting of cocoon in the district.

Forestry :           

The total forest area in the district is 0.60 lakh hectare, which comprises 11% of the total geographical area of the district.  A vast area in the district  exists as barren lands where even grazing is not possible due to lack of adequate grass cover.  This problem can be solved if water land and uncultivable lands, are brought under silvipastural system.  Thus, there is urgent need for 

                I.  Afforestation.

                II. Establishment of forest nurseries in different blocks.

                III. Social awareness of plantation works.

Irrigation :               

Very limited irrigation potential has been exploited in the district.  Although, it is claimed that 15 % of the total cultivated land is irrigated. the effective irrigated area during rabi is much less.  Majority area under irrigation receives water mostly from wells and tanks, and at places from canal.  The different irrigation schemes functioning in the district are as follows :

            (a)     Mayurakshi lift bank canal.

            (b)     Kairabani reservoir scheme.            

A programme namely "Jal Dhara" is going on in the district at each block with an aim to cover about 84,000 Ha land.

Existing extension agencies & farmer organization :                           

There are research and extension linkage with Z. R. S & Agriculture department like D.A.O, D.H.O, P.P.O, D.T.O and Kisan Vidyapith, Animal Husbandry, NGO's and other allied department for agricultural development.  There are agriculture extension office and block level workers in each block to transmit the technical knowledge and information to the farmers in the district currently extension activities are being carried out not only under public sector but also under private and Voluntary sector, cooperative sector, ZRS of Birsa Agricultural University, line department of agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry in Dumka  district.  All line department have partial technical persons for extension activities.                           

The district has one of the largest livestock population in the state.  Strong cattle are a common in the district.  However, this cannot be taken as an index of the prosperity of cattle health.  Despite the large population of cattle, the yield of milk in the district is very poor.  Effort have been taken by state govt to improve the breed of milk cattle by the department of animal husbandry to boost up the milk production, simultaneously economic growth of the tribal people of this districts.  There are veterinary hospital and dispensaries in each block for the treatment of prevention and suppression of diseases of live stock            

As per the census 1992 the total livestock population of the district is 38.85 lakhs.  The details of the bovine population, along with type produce and annual productivity are as follows.

 Poultry and goatry are an important subsidy occupation of the people of the district.  Large part of poultry birds is of indigenous breed having low meat and egg yields.  Intruder to improve to the ordinary breed the state government have taken up the poultry department scheme.  A number of poultry development entries and extension centre have been started in the district.  There is vast scope for the development of poultry in the district.  Rearing of goats, pigs and poultry is mostly done by the tribal community.

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