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Sustainable Water Harvesting for Improving Food Security and Livelihoods of Smallholders under Different Climatic Conditions of India

Author

Listed:
  • Pankaj Panwar

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh 160019, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • Deepesh Machiwal

    (Division of Natural Resources, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342003, Rajasthan, India)

  • Vandita Kumari

    (Division of Natural Resources, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342003, Rajasthan, India)

  • Sanjay Kumar

    (College of Forestry, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda 210001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • Pradeep Dogra

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh 160019, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • S. Manivannan

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Fern Hill (POST), Udhagamandalam 643004, Tamil Nadu, India
    ICAR-Central Coastal Agriculture Research Institute, Ela, Old Goa 403402, Goa, India)

  • P. R. Bhatnagar

    (ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India)

  • J. M. S. Tomar

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, 218 Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun 248195, Uttarakhand, India)

  • Rajesh Kaushal

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, 218 Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun 248195, Uttarakhand, India)

  • Dinesh Jinger

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Vasad 334603, Gujarat, India)

  • Pradip Kumar Sarkar

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, West Tripura 799210, Tripura, India)

  • L. K. Baishya

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema 797106, Nagaland, India)

  • Ningthoujam Peetambari Devi

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umroi Road, Umiam 793103, Meghalaya, India)

  • Vijaysinha Kakade

    (ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati 413115, Maharashtra, India)

  • Gaurav Singh

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, 218 Kaulagarh Road, Dehradun 248195, Uttarakhand, India)

  • Nongmaithem Raju Singh

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umroi Road, Umiam 793103, Meghalaya, India)

  • S. Gojendro Singh

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Umroi Road, Umiam 793103, Meghalaya, India)

  • Abhishek Patel

    (Regional Research Station, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Bhuj 370105, Gujarat, India)

  • P. S. Renjith

    (Regional Research Station, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Bhuj 370105, Gujarat, India)

  • Sharmistha Pal

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh 160019, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • V. K. Bhatt

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh 160019, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • N. K. Sharma

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh 160019, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • O. P. S. Khola

    (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Sector 27-A, Chandigarh 160019, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • Sheetal K. Radhakrishnan

    (Regional Research Station, ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Bhuj 370105, Gujarat, India)

  • V. Kasthuri Thilagam

    (ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore 641007, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • P. L. Bhutia

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Nagaland Centre, Medziphema 797106, Nagaland, India)

  • Kouberi Nath

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, West Tripura 799210, Tripura, India)

  • Rekha Das

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, West Tripura 799210, Tripura, India)

  • Dhiman Daschaudhuri

    (ICAR-Research Complex for North Eastern Hill Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, West Tripura 799210, Tripura, India)

  • Arun Kumar

    (College of Agriculture, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda 210001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • G. S. Panwar

    (College of Agriculture, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda 210001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • S. V. Dwivedi

    (College of Horticulture, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda 210001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • Sanjeev Kumar

    (College of Forestry, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda 210001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

  • B. K. Singh

    (College of Agriculture, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda 210001, Uttar Pradesh, India)

Abstract

In India, the per capita availability of water is projected to be 1465 m 3 and 1235 m 3 by the years 2025 and 2050, respectively, and hence, India would be a water-stressed country as per the United Nations’ standard of less than 1700 m 3 per capita water availability. India is predominantly an agricultural-dominant country. Rainfed agriculture in the country contributes 40% of food grain production and supports half of the human population and two-thirds of the livestock population. The country has 15 different agro-climatic zones, and each agro-climatic region has its own constraints of water availability and management along with the potential for their optimum utilization. Such situations warrant the formulation of regional-level strategies. Efforts were made to integrate and evaluate the feasibility of water harvesting and its utilization at twelve different sites representing six different agro-climatic conditions spanning pan India. It was found that water harvesting through tanks/ponds is a feasible approach and can increase the crop production as well as diversification. The results reveal that the range of crop diversification index increased from 0.49–0.85 to 0.65–0.98; the crop productivity index increased from 0.28–0.66 to 0.66–0.90; the cultivated land utilization index increased from 0.05–0.69 to 0.34–0.84; and the crop water productivity index increased from 0.20–0.51 to 0.56–0.96, among other production and diversification indices, due to additional water availability through rainwater harvesting intervention. Moreover, the gross return increased from INR 43,768–704,356 to INR 220,840–1,469,108 ha −1 , representing a 108 to 400% increase in the returns due to the availability of water. The findings of this study suggest that the water harvesting in small ponds/tanks is economical and feasible, requires less technological intervention, and increases crop diversification in all the studied agro-climatic conditions, and hence, the same needs to be encouraged in the rainfed areas of the country.

Suggested Citation

  • Pankaj Panwar & Deepesh Machiwal & Vandita Kumari & Sanjay Kumar & Pradeep Dogra & S. Manivannan & P. R. Bhatnagar & J. M. S. Tomar & Rajesh Kaushal & Dinesh Jinger & Pradip Kumar Sarkar & L. K. Baish, 2023. "Sustainable Water Harvesting for Improving Food Security and Livelihoods of Smallholders under Different Climatic Conditions of India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-31, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9230-:d:1165937
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yuan, Tian & Fengmin, Li & Puhai, Liu, 2003. "Economic analysis of rainwater harvesting and irrigation methods, with an example from China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 217-226, May.
    2. Kumar, Sanjay & Machiwal, Deepesh & Tetarwal, Arvind Singh & Ramniwas, & Vaishnav, Meera, 2022. "Managing irrigation supplies effectively under interrupted electricity supply: Lesson from an arid region of India," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
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