Irrigation constitutes a critical aspect impacting agricultural productivity in India. However, its functioning is dependent on monsoons, mostly. Such a major dependency has led to various challenges, including:
- Water scarcity
- Incompetent & obsolete irrigation methods
- Lack of proper infrastructure
- Inadequate management practices
To further substantiate with data, only 47% of the tilled land is irrigated, leaving the remaining dependent on monsoon. Hence, it further underlines the unpredictability & inconsistency of the output.
So, how does it impact farmers’ lives?
Simply put, inadequate irrigation facilities result in crop failures leading to lower crop yields. Ultimately these events hamper income generation for farmers. So, how can one fill in the loopholes of irrigation in India?
Addressing the challenges and identifying the gaps would be the best way to start with. Moreover, you will be better positioned to look for alternative solutions once the drawbacks are identified. This blog is fixated on providing insights into the existing challenges of irrigation in India.
5 Reasons Why Indian Irrigation System Needs Major Revamp
Top farming equipment-producing brands like Eicher Tractor undoubtedly increased work output. However, one cannot negate the challenges associated with the Indian irrigation system.
- Inefficient Irrigation Techniques
This is a major challenge concerning the irrigation system in India. For instance, farmers, till date, rely on obsolete methods to irrigate fields, including flood or furrow irrigation. Moreover, this issue is prevalent among farmers who lack access to modern irrigation facilities.
In fact, using traditional methods results in soil degradation and salinisation. As a result, they make the land unsuitable for agriculture in the long run.
- Water Scarcity
This is yet another major challenge pertaining to the Indian irrigation system. Fresh water supply is anyway under immense pressure due to factors like overpopulation, climate change, etc. Agriculture sector being the largest consumer of water resources, exacerbates this issue.
- Overexploitation of Groundwater Resources
This is one of the major drawbacks of the Indian irrigation system. Groundwater is a critical source of irrigation in India, especially in areas with limited surface water sources.
However, excessive use of groundwater for irrigation has led to a decline in water levels. Moreover, experts have witnessed a significant depletion of aquifers.
As per a field report, around 60% of India’s districts face a serious depletion of groundwater resources. The overexploitation of groundwater resources has also deteriorated water quality. Hence, this depletion in quality has water unfit for irrigation & human consumption.
- Lack of Credit Acces and Modern Technology
Small and marginal farmers majorly face this issue. This is because these farmers constitute a significant portion of the farming population in India. They often don’t have any access to credit. This subsequently makes it difficult for a farmer to invest in modern irrigation methods.
Moreover, lack of credit access compels farmers to skip the upgradation of irrigation infrastructure. In fact, the comfort of owning or operating an AC tractor is quite an alien concept for marginal farmers.
All these bottlenecks prevent them from adopting any modern farming method, including advanced irrigation. Subsequently, it creates a vicious cycle of low productivity, low income, and a lack of investment in irrigation.
- Climate Change
There are many after-effects of adverse climatic change, and in this context, it’s severely affecting irrigation. In addition, this change is impacting rainfall patterns. Moreover, it leads to extreme weather conditions, including floods & drought. All these after-effects have made it challenging for farmers to plan certain things. For instance, irrigation & cropping patterns.
Final Thoughts: Proposing Pragmatic Solution
The challenges of irrigation in Indian agriculture are many and complex at the same time. Nevertheless, addressing these challenges is critical to ensure the sustainable growth of the Indian agricultural sector.
Moreover, mapping out strategies highlighted in the Niti Ayog 2019 could be an approach to mitigate this challenge. Additionally, the government should partner with the private sector to invest in irrigation infra development. This could include working towards initiatives like efficient water usage, incentivising the adoption of new technologies, etc.
On an individual level, farmers can switch to modern irrigation techniques like surface, drip, and sprinkler irrigation to avoid water wastage. Moreover, switching to these alternatives would ensure precise water application to crops, ensuring quality and higher yields.
Overall, there is a need to promote sustainable irrigation management practices while building resilience to the impacts of climate change.