Central Research Institute for Dryland AgricultureCentral Research Institute for Dryland AgricultureSantoshnagar, Hyderabad Santoshnagar, Hyderabad –– 500 059, INDIA500 059, INDIA

Y. S. RamakrishnaY. S. RamakrishnaDirectorDirector

&&G.G.S.NG.G.S.N.Rao.RaoPC (PC (AgrometAgromet))

Water Management - Water Use in Rainfed Regions of India

each drop counts

Water- Elixir of life

INDIA’S SHARE IN GLOBAL RESOURCESINDIA’S SHARE IN GLOBAL RESOURCES

Human ResourceHuman Resource 16.0%16.0%

Land ResourceLand Resource 2.45%2.45%

Water ResourceWater Resource 4.00%4.00%

Livestock ResourceLivestock Resource 15.0%15.0%

India is blessed with large rainfall for its size

432Ground water

690Surface water

1122Estimated utilizable water

1967Per capita water availability

1869Annual potential flow in rivers

4000Annual rainfall (1200mm)

Quantity (km3)

Source

113.5 m.haPotential Irrigable area

53.0%Ground water

40.5%Surface water

54.0 m.haNet Irrigated Area

Despite large area under irrigation stress during crop growth is unavoidable

India- Rainfed Region

Irrigated area (> 30% irrigation)

Rainfed area (< 30% irrigation )

54.0 m.ha

75.14 m.ha

Net Irrigated area

Gross irrigated area

85.7 m.haNet Rainfed area

139.7 m.haNet cultivated area

328.7 m.haGeographical area

Irrigated area Irrigated area Irrigated area Irrigated area(1000 ha) (1000 ha) (1000 ha) (1000 ha)

INDIA, NORTH INDIA, SOUTH (Andra INDIA, WEST INDIA, EAST Barley 125 92 158Cotton 1749 466 1671Fruits 444 278 417 250Groundnut 600 224 72Maize 413 303 523 138Millet 363 266 459 121Potatoes 147 92 138 83Pulses 1309 141 1839 248Rapeseed 154 302 56Rice 6,786 7,004 1,970 6,129Sorghum 305 224 387 102Soybean 286 179 268 161Sugarcane 1650 809 777Vegetables 394 246 369 222Wheat 6,526 204 9,994 3,671All irrigated crops 20,651 10,905 19,496 11,251Equipped for irrigation 16,032 10,020 15,030 9,018Cropping intensity 129 109 130 125

Status of irrigation facility across the country - India

Estimates of Water Needs for India (M ha m)

105.075.255.2Total

3.73.53.3Others

7.12.71.9Energy

12.02.71.5Industrial

5.23.32.5Domestic

77.063.046.0Irrigation

202520001990Activity

The entire water potential of 1122 BCM need to be developed by all means by 2025 through surface and ground water development

Predominant Rainfed Predominant Rainfed CropsCrops

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VARANASI

REWA

RAJKOT INDORE

AKOLA

SOLAPUR

BIJAPUR

HYDERABAD

BELLARYANANTAPUR

BANGALORE

KOVILPATTI

DANTIWADA

ARJIA

AGRA

HISSAR

JODHUPUR

FIZABAD

PHULBANI

RANCHI

JHANSI

RAKH DHIANSAR

BALLOWAL - S

Wheat

Fruits & Vegetables

Pigeonpea

Maize

HorsegramGreengram

Fingermillet

ChickpeaCotton

Blackgram

PearlmilletSorghum

SunflowerSoybean

Rapeseed Mustard

Rice

Groundnut

CastorIrrigated AreaUn accounted area

14%Wheat

67%Cotton

93%Greengram

94%Blackgram

78%Chickpea

96%Pigeonpea

96%Castor

97%Linseed

96%Sesame

99%Safflower

76%Sunflower

36%Rapeseed mustard

97%Soybean

80%Groundnut

46%Rice

76%Maize

90%Fingermillet

94%Pearlmillet

91%Sorghum

Efficient water management

A crucial issue for meeting future agricultural production needs

Because ……

• Extreme spatial and temporal variability in rainfall

• Evaporative demand is higher than rainfall during greater part of the year

• Drought and water scarcity is a constant threat

• Greater expansion of ground water irrigation

• Poor ground water quality (saline / brackish water)

• Deterioration of soil health in the intensively cultivated areas

• Low rainwater use efficiency and low crop productivity

• Dominance of small and marginal farmers

• Stubborn poverty and food insecurity

Water management related problems in rainfed areas

Ground water status

7270984562.564India

6030.150.52.84.79.3Madhya Pradesh11

5842.472.71.42.43.3West Bengal10

7057.582.52.33.34Andhra Pradesh9

6961.087.82.53.64.1Bihar8

Safe exploitation

5760.7107.11.732.8Tamilnadu7

7785.9112.31418.316.3Uttar Pradesh6

7289.2124.33.34.63.7Maharashtra5

6196.4157.12.74.42.8Gujarat4

96153.3160.02.32.41.5Haryana3

90196.6217.25.76.32.9Punjab2

66211.1322.23.85.81.8Rajasthan1

(c/b)(c/a)(b/a)Over exploited

Utilisation with reference to potential created (%)

Utilisation with reference to ultimate potential (%)

Potential created with reference to ultimate potential (%)

Utilsed(m.ha)

(c)

Created (m.ha)

(b)

Ultimate(m.ha)

(a)

StateS.no

Surface Water Status

58407071217.3India

4538850.51.11.3West Bengal7

58581000.71.21.2Tamilnadu6

50501000.511Orissa5

6750750.60.91.2Maharashtra4

5833570.71.22.1Madhya Pradesh3

6356890.50.80.9Karnataka2

5848831.11.92.3Andhra Pradesh1

Safe exploitation

Utilisationwith reference to potential created (%)

Utilisationwith reference to ultimate potential (%)

Potential created with reference to ultimate potential (%)

Utilisedpotential (m. ha)

Potential Created (m. ha)

Ultimate potential (m.ha)

StateS.no

Rainwater Management: Core of WS management in RF Areas

Integrate conservation and production technologies with watershed as a unit of management

Ensure maximum in situ rainwater conservation

Harvest rainwater for recycling -to high value crops -to support establishment of tree crops

Recharging groundwater

Topdown Approach:

Bio-physicalemphasis

(1980s)

Participatory Approach:

Bio-physical+

Socio-economic(1990s)

Livelihoods Approach: Integrated Watershed

(2000)

Evolution of watershed concept in India

Integrated Watershed Management Strategies

Integrated Watershed

Management OBJECTIVES

Sustainable Rural

Livelihoods

Efficient Management of

Natural Resources

Coordination of Policies,

Programmes and Activities

Promotion of Community Participation

Goal: Productive and high quality agro-ecosystem

Resource Management through IWS ManagementHolds Promise because…

Integration of crop production with NRM

Land use according to land capability possible through diversification

Provides opportunity for participative on-farm research:higher degree commitment from stakeholders

Effective means of CPR management and sharing of productivity gains

Farming system approach more feasible providing more resilience to drought

Watershed programs details since inception on area coverage and expenditure

20387.06384.85Grand Total

852.898.77NAEP

Environment and Forests Ministry

9462.33189.19Total

212.673.6EAP

2228.4184.54IWDP

1960.7535.31DDP

5060.565.74DPAP

Rural Development Ministry

10071.84186.89Total

498028EAP

21.020.39WDF

105.946.87RAS

255.583.53WDPSCA

2037.7462.51RVP& FPR

2671.5685.59NWDPRA

Agriculture Ministry

Expenditure (Rs in crore)Area treated (lakh ha.)Scheme name

Components of Rainwater Management in rainfed areas

1. In-situ conservation2. Grade line Bund 3. Drainage line treatment4. Water harvesting & utilization5. Groundwater recharge

3, 4, 2, 1>2500Per-humid

3, 4, 2, 1, 51000-2500Sub-humid

2, 3, 4, 5, 1750-1000Wet Semi-arid

2, 1, 3, 5500-750Dry Semi-arid

1, 3100-500Arid

Order of componentsRainfall (mm)Agro Climatic Zone

Summer tillage for alluvial, red and other light soils

Off season land treatment - reduces weed growth and retains more moisture

Compartment bund for heavy black soils for assured rabi crops

In-situ conservation practices

Conservation furrow

-retains about 37% additional soil moisture compared to farmers’ practice-better plant growth and higher yields by about 17%

GroundnutCastor + Pigeonpea

In-situ conservation practices

Ridges and furrows system in cotton -additional yield of 500 kg/ha over farmers’ practice

In-situ conservation practices

Horsegram

Cover cropping-soil quality improvement with on-farm generation of organic matter in off-season

CRIDAIn-situ conservation practices

Micro-catchments

- improves perennial plant establishment even on steep slopes

In-situ conservation practices

Medium term measures

Indigenous technical knowledge - field bunds are time tested means of soil and water conservation

Stone and vegetative field bunding

Graded bund helps in efficient drainageGrade live bund

Live-bed system for improved moisture retention in tobacco

Grade live bund

Trench cum bund for soil and water conservation

In-situ soil and water conservation

Long term measures

Contour trenching for runoff collectionWater Harvesting

On Farm Reservoir (OFR) technology in Chattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand created major impact on drought management during kharif

The Government of Chhattisgarh included this technology in the drought relief programme

Water Harvesting

Rs. 200/Cum

CRIDAWater Harvesting

A percolation tank - Enhances yield of down-stream wells

Groundwater recharge structures

Recharge of defunct wells through diversion pipe

50% of open dug wells are defunct

Cost– effective

Recharge through defunct wells

Inlet to recharging well

Strategies for improving water use efficiencies

Method of irrigation Method of irrigation -- FurrowFurrow

Improving the efficiency of stored waterImproving the efficiency of stored water

Life saving irrigation of tobacco through harvested rainwater

• Crop yield improved by 25% through one irrigation during dryspell

• Payback 4-5 years without lining

Effect of one life saving irrigation on yield of FCV Tobacco (2003-04)

+21.2+4.6+18.1+23.4+25.5Improvement (%)

95855.0163111476770Without irrigation

8496

Green leaf

116152.607451416With irrigation

Grade index

(%) Bright

leaf

Bright leaf

Cured leaf

Rainwater stored in farm pond can be judiciously utilized using sprinkler

Sweet oranges + groundnut in rabi in Anantapur district, AP

Banana in Cuddapah district, AP

Micro Irrigation techniques for improved water use efficiency

Supplemental Irrigation with harvested runoff

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Cultivation

Traditional Rice cultivation

• Low seed rate 1 kg/ac• Less than half the water required • Crop duration reduced by one month (Nursery 8 days)• Mostly managed with family labour • No inorganic fertilizers (weeds are plowed back)• Yield doubles• Cost of cultivation reduced (low seed + low labour + no fertilizer)• Scope for area/ crop diversification

Yield doubles

Crop DiversificationWater requirements of paddy and Irrigated Dry

(ID) crops

3.0400Ragi

3.0400Maize

-1200Paddy

4.8250Chickpea

3.0400Groundnut

Area equivalent of paddy (ha)

Water requirement (mm)

Crop

4.8 ha area can be brought under chickpea by replacing 1.0 ha area under paddy, besides soil improvement as chickpea is a leguminous crop (fixes nitrogen)

6.42+Additional water saving of 400mm

27936Improved practiceRice - Chickpea

7.8337560Improved practice Rice - Groundnut

5.0036000Farmers’ practice Rice - Rice

Water use efficiency Rs. per mm

Total net returns

(Rs. for 3 acres)

Practice

Net returns and water use efficiency for different cropping systems

Alternate land use system

Curry leaf + Black gram

Bush farming in arable land

Jatropha

Bush farming in non-arable land

Intercrops along with casuarina

Intercrops along with Eucalyptus

Intercrops along with Subabul

Agri-silviculture

Economics of alternative land use systems in Andhra Pradesh

Alternative land use systems B/C ratioAgri-horticulture with ber 5.00Agri-silviculture 2.00Arable crops 1.20-1.75Dryland horticultureMango 3.21Acid lime 3.04

Sweet lime 2.89Guava 2.18

Creating Awareness: Action learning – Rainfall Simulator

Seeing is Believing: Impact of Treatment on Soil Loss

To understand their ground water system and water level fluctuations in annual and seasonal basis,

To regulate the ground water use,

To initiate the dialogue on social regulation, and

To bring change in cropping pattern leading to reduced use of ground water

Participatory Ground Water Evaluation

Ground water level measuring device

Farmer measuring level of ground water through

measuring device

Participatory Groundwater Evaluation

Ground Water Level Fluctuations in a typicle irrigation well

02468

101214161820

F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1 F2 F1

Nov-03.

Nov-03. Dec. Dec.

Jan-04. Jan. Feb. Feb. Mar. Mar. April April May May June June July July Aug.Aug.Sept.Sept.Oct. Oct.

Nov-04.

FortnightG

WL

(bgl

), m

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Rai

nfal

l,mm

Rainfall (mm)Water level depth (bgl)

Farmer name: Yadamma w/o Narsimhulu

Village : Chowderpally

Total bore well depth: 250 ft.

Survey No: 154

• Crop alternatives to paddy, particularly during rabi (Winter season)

• Inclusion of coarse cereals in the Public Distribution System

• Higher support price to ID crops

• Supply of quality seeds of ID crops at subsidized rates

• Implementation of the Act (Walter Land and Trees Act, AP-WALTA 2002)

promulgated by Government of Andhra Pradesh in true spirit.

• Development of water markets and water sharing mechanism

• Favourable policy initiatives for reforms in power sector

Policy Implications-leading to efficient water management

• Participatory hydrological monitoring

• highest priority to domestic water supply

• Panchayat needs to be empowered legally to manage their resources, particularly groundwater in an equitable manner

• community-based water management and crop planning for sustainable use of groundwater

• Tank rehabilitation to restore the livelihoods of various stakeholders dependent on them.

Social Implications

Groundwater management strategies

Demand management of water

adoption of improved management practices would be the key to sustainability in areas where the recharge potential is low (Eg. Peninsular India)

• Reducing the gap between potential created and potential utilization

• Lined channels or closed conduits can reduce conveyance losses resulting in additional area under irrigation

• Optimizing cropping patterns and use of improved irrigation systems are key drivers for better management of water.

• Encouraging farmers to adopt irrigated dry crops through input subsidy and better marketability of the produce

• Organizing awareness programmes in monitoring of water use

water harvesting for supplemental irrigation would be the key driver for ensuring improvement in water use efficiency (eg. Central and eastern India)

• Water productivity is low in spite of high rainfall in the region due to uncertainty in timing and quantity of rainfall.

• Utilization of harvested runoff for supplemental irrigation during dry spells and/or for pre sowing irrigation during the rabi season ensures the increase in cropping intensity

• Gap between potential created and potential utilized need to be reduced by addressing the reasons for under utilization in these areas.

Supply management of water

Climate change impact on water resources

An ice free Arctic?

City Lights from Space

1979 2003

Arctic sea-ice extent: decrease since mid-

1970s

Melting of polar ice sheets would rise global sea leveland make statues more accessible

Water quality problems will increase in coastal areas due to salt water incursion inland

Impact of climate change on water resources(With reference to India)

• The hydrological cycle is predicted to be more intense, with higher annual average rainfall as well increased drought.

• There is a predicted increase in extreme rainfall and rainfall intensity in all three river basins towards the end of the 21st Century

• The Godavari basin is projected to have higher precipitation than the other two

543150482134Ganga

11620198166Godavari

671126091Krishna

Annual Flow (km2)

Annual Rainfall (cm)

Annual Flow (km2)

Annual Rainfall

(cm)

Future (2071-2100)Baseline (1961-1990)River Basin

Rainfall intensity at three major river basins

* Source: iitm, Pune

ABC model suggests more number of droughts in the coming decades in India

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1930

-194

0

1940

-195

0

1950

-196

0

1960

-197

0

1970

-198

0

1980

-199

0

1990

-200

0

2000

-201

0

2010

-202

0

2020

-203

0

2030

-204

0

2040

-205

0

Dro

ught

Fre

quen

cy (N

o. o

f Yea

rs)

ObservationGHGs+SO4_1998ABC_2050

• Proper and timely agro-advisories helps in improved irrigation scheduling, fertilizer management thus conserve water and increases the use efficiency

Thank you