Irrigation

The tank irrigation systems of South India

Our needs are numerous, with food, clothing, and shelter being our basic requirements. Ensuring basic food security is paramount for any country, as relying on others for our survival is quite risky. Fortunately, rice and wheat are the two prominent staple food crops that are widely and abundantly grown in India to feed the masses.

India has made impressive progress in rural electrification (RE) since the government of India shifted its policy focus towards universal household electrification since early 2000s.

The agrarian complexities India faces are large-scale and systemic, intertwined with socio-economic and environmental issues.

Villagers in Rajasthan restore grasslands to save the endangered Great Indian bustard

Irrigated agriculture consumes the largest share of freshwater resources, including both surface water and groundwater. As high as 40 percent of irrigation is dependent on groundwater, accounting for 70 percent of the total groundwater extractions world over and this share is predicted to increase with climate change. 

In a randomised field experiment, researchers tested whether training medium scale farmers in an agricultural water reduction practice reduced water use from common aquifers in Haryana, India.

Indian farmers have shifted from growing traditional crops to commercial crops with the help of modern technology and micro-irrigation systems. Farmers are increasingly implementing micro-irrigation systems to ensure precise water and nutrient delivery, which is essential for the success of these crops as agriculture shifts towards high-value crops.

Carbon market on the anvil in line with emissions trajectory

Since the last few decades, the central government (and also multiple states) has been promoting micro irrigation (drip and sprinkler) under various schemes. These schemes mainly include National Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI), On Farm Water Management (OFWM), and now Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).