Improving economic water productivity to enhance resilience in canal irrigation systems: a pilot study of the Sina irrigation system in Maharashtra, India

Upali A Amarasinghe,Vidya Mandave,Sunil Gorantiwar,Sunil K Ambast,R K Panda,Alok Sikka

doi:10.2166/wp.2021.231

Abstract

Abstract This paper proposes scenarios to achieve more crop per drop and irrigation for all in water-scarce irrigation systems, with a particular reference to India. It uses economic water productivity (EWP) and water cost curve for EWP as tools to reallocate irrigation consumptive water use (CWU) and identify economically viable cropping patterns. Assessed in the water-scarce Sina irrigation system in Maharashtra, India, the method shows that drought-tolerant annual crops such as fruits and/or fodder should be the preferred option in irrigated cropping patterns. Cropping patterns with orchard or fodder as permanent fixtures will provide sustainable income in low rainfall years. Orchards in combination with other crops will increase EWP and value of output in moderate to good rainfall years. Governments should create an enabling environment for conjunctive water use and allocation of CWU to achieve a gradual shift to high-value annual/perennial crops as permanent fixtures in cropping patterns.

Highlights

Along with climate change, increasing population, changing lifestyles, and increasing sectoral water demand are expected to exacerbate the vulnerability to and risks of natural disasters (Scott et al, 2018; Rasul et al, 2019; Ray & Shaw, 2019; Shamsudduha & Panda, 2019)
The projected implications of climate change for water and agriculture call for a much-needed focus on efficient water use in agriculture to build resilience and meet future water challenges (Mirza, 2011)
Satellite-based data give an accurate picture of the land-use pattern in the Sina water influence zone (WIZ), including the canal command area (CCA), a 1 km buffer zone outside the CCA, and the reservoir lift irrigated area (RLIA), the area of the catchment where farmers lift water for irrigation directly from the reservoir

Summary

Introduction

Along with climate change, increasing population, changing lifestyles, and increasing sectoral water demand are expected to exacerbate the vulnerability to and risks of natural disasters (Scott et al, 2018; Rasul et al, 2019; Ray & Shaw, 2019; Shamsudduha & Panda, 2019). The projected implications of climate change for water and agriculture call for a much-needed focus on efficient water use in agriculture to build resilience and meet future water challenges (Mirza, 2011). Efficiency and productivity of water use dominate the discourse on irrigation performance in general and canal irrigation systems in particular (Shah, 2013; Kumar, 2018). Given the increasing incidence and magnitude of natural disasters (IPCC, 2014), more crop per drop or higher water productivity and access to irrigation are timelier solutions than ever before to enhance resilience in the agriculture sector (Brauman et al, 2013; Kumar & van Dam, 2013). How waterscarce canal irrigation systems can realize these two goals is the focus of this paper

Methods

Results

Conclusion