Abstract
This paper explores the impact of irrigation on India’s mixed crop-based dairy production system. It uses a four-equation recursive regression model to outline the impact of water applied under different modes (groundwater irrigation, surface water irrigation, and rainfall) on the bovine herd efficiency and dairy output. The results of the model show that rain-fed areas account for 47% of the total value of milk output, whereas area under groundwater irrigation and surface water irrigation account for 38% and 15%, respectively. Of all the different irrigation modes, groundwater irrigated areas have the most efficient bovine herd for milk production. The addition of one hectare of groundwater in an irrigated area adds around Indian Rupees (INR) 20,000 (~US $448) to the gross value of milk output of a district, which is twice the addition of one hectare of surface water in an irrigated area and five times the addition of one hectare of rainfed area. Based on the results of the model, the paper suggests that expanding well irrigation in the groundwater-abundant eastern and central tribal belt of India can yield a positive impact on milk production.
Highlights
Livestock production systems are broadly classified into three categories: grazing-based system where livestock is dependent on natural forage and pasture lands; mixed farming system where crop production and livestock are closely integrated; and landless production system, which are industrial and intensive in nature and mostly found near peri-urban, urban centers [1]
According to a study by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Green Revolution intensified dairying in irrigated areas like Punjab in a two-pronged manner: first, irrigated areas witnessed a dramatic increase in crop intensification, which increased the supply of cereals for intensive production; second, the green revolution led to increase in incomes, which increased the demand for milk [4]
To further the relationship between and dairy development, weapropose a Toexplore further explore the relationship between irrigation irrigation and dairy development, we propose hypothesis: different irrigation sources vary on-farm accessibility and water control hypothesis: different irrigation sources varysignificantly significantly inin on-farm accessibility and water control offered to the small-holder farming households in a district; as a result, they have varied influence offered to the small-holder farming households in a district; as a result, they have varied influence on the bovine demography and milk output
Summary
Livestock production systems are broadly classified into three categories: grazing-based system where livestock is dependent on natural forage and pasture lands; mixed farming system where crop production and livestock are closely integrated; and landless production system, which are industrial and intensive in nature and mostly found near peri-urban, urban centers [1]. Most studies have explored the relationship between water and milk production by estimating the consumptive water use and further calculating water productivity in kg/m3 [7,8,9,10] These estimates do not distinguish between irrigation water from rainfall, wells, and canals, and give no assessment of the impact of different modes of water application on milk. We analyze the impact of water under different irrigation regimes (groundwater, surface water, and rainfall) on the bovine demography and the gross value of milk output at the district-level using a four-equation regression model. The model estimates the marginal value product of water delivered through groundwater, surface water, and rainfall on gross value of milk output, and calculates the size of their contribution to.
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