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Unsustainable Groundwater Use in Punjab Agriculture: Insights from Cost of Cultivation Survey

Author

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  • Srivastava, S.K.
  • Chand, Ramesh
  • Raju, S.S.
  • Jain, Rajni
  • I., Kingsly
  • Sachdeva, Jatinder
  • Singh, Jaspal
  • Kaur, Amrit Pal

Abstract

Groundwater depletion has emerged as the major constraint in sustaining growth in agriculturally advanced state of Punjab. The study unravels unsustainable groundwater use in crop production using unit-level cost of cultivation survey data. The deterioration in groundwater resources is the outcome of technology and policy led shift in cropping pattern (towards paddy), irrigation source (towards groundwater) and energy source (towards electricity) in Punjab. Presently, total annual groundwater draft in the state is 72 per cent higher than the sustainable limit of 20 BCM. Agriculture being the largest user of groundwater draft bears the prime responsibility in averting groundwater crisis. Paddy emerged as the most water-guzzling crop consuming 45 to 88 per cent higher groundwater than other crops. Consequently, paddy had highest groundwater footprints (cum/kg) and lowest groundwater productivity (Rs./cum). Further, there exists large scale inefficiency in groundwater use for paddy cultivation. The optimum level of groundwater use for paddy cultivation should be about 52 per cent less than the present level of 1.2 ha-metre. Interestingly, large farmers emerged as more efficient user of groundwater resources and productive as compared to farmers with smaller land holdings. The strategy to ensure sustainability must include both groundwater supply augmentation and demand reduction measures with greater emphasis on improving water use efficiency and curtailing non-productive use of groundwater resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Srivastava, S.K. & Chand, Ramesh & Raju, S.S. & Jain, Rajni & I., Kingsly & Sachdeva, Jatinder & Singh, Jaspal & Kaur, Amrit Pal, 2015. "Unsustainable Groundwater Use in Punjab Agriculture: Insights from Cost of Cultivation Survey," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 70(3), pages 1-14.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:inijae:230215
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.230215
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kishore, P. & Roy, D. & Birthal, P.S. & Srivastava, S.K., 2024. "Regulation, and Policy Response to Groundwater Preservation in India," IAMO Policy Briefs 344994, Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO).
    2. Srivastavaa, SK & Singha, J & Shirsathb, PB, 2018. "Sustainability of groundwater resources at the subnational level in the context of sustainable development goals," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 31(2).
    3. World Bank, 2020. "Managing Groundwater for Drought Resilience in South Asia," World Bank Publications - Reports 33332, The World Bank Group.
    4. Sahil Bhatia & S. P. Singh, 2023. "Can an Incentivized Command-and-Control Approach Improve Groundwater Management? An Analysis of Indian Punjab," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-27, November.
    5. Priyanka Singh & Mini Goyal & Bishwa Bhaskar Choudhary, 2022. "How sustainable is food system in India? mapping evidence from the state of Punjab," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(12), pages 14348-14374, December.
    6. Downing, Andrea S. & Kumar, Manish & Andersson, August & Causevic, Amar & Gustafsson, Örjan & Joshi, Niraj U. & Krishnamurthy, Chandra Kiran B. & Scholtens, Bert & Crona, Beatrice, 2022. "Unlocking the unsustainable rice-wheat system of Indian Punjab: Assessing alternatives to crop-residue burning from a systems perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    7. Sahil Bhatia & S. P. Singh, 2024. "Assessing Groundwater Use Efficiency and Productivity across Punjab Agriculture: District and Farm Size Perspectives," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-24, August.
    8. Shaheen, Farhet & Shah, Farhed A., 2017. "Climate Change, Economic Growth, and Cooperative Management of Indus River Basin," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258350, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    9. Sukhwinder Singh & Julian Park, 2018. "Drivers of change in groundwater resources: a case study of the Indian Punjab," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 965-979, August.

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