WATER MANAGEMENT IN GHATERA BABAJI MINOR IRRIGATION PROJECT, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

Abstract

Water is a vital component of nature, which brings life in land; therefore the judicious utilization of water is needed for all types of human advancement. India is a monsoon dependent country for its water resources. Irrigation sector has been fundamental to India’s economic development and poverty alleviation, since 25% of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 65% of employment are based on agriculture (MOWR GOI, 2006). The world’s total irrigated area was 249.5 M ha in 2011 in which India has 21.7% share in irrigated area in the world. The global consumption of water in agriculture is around 71% of the total water use (FAO, 2008). Considering the importance of irrigation management and the water user’s participation in increasing water productivity and the development of existing irrigation command area, this study was carried out to assess the present irrigation system of command area and to perform diagnostic study for the possible improvement in command area of Ghatera Babaji tank canal situated in Betwa River basin. The study area has a gross command area of 147 ha out of which cultivable area are 127 ha. Irrigation is supplied during Rabi season in about 121 ha. Main canal is 1360 m long with a slope of 1 in 1000. The command area has 101 land holdings ranging from 0.23 ha to 6.32 ha belonging to 87 farmers. Majority of farmers have small and marginal holdings (up to 2 ha), middle age (> 39 yrs) and with low income (< Rs 50,000 per annum) and have education up to primary or middle school level. The basic infiltration rate varies from 0.2 cm/hr to 2.4 cm/hr. The major crop of the area is Wheat followed by small area under Gram and Vegetable during Rabi, whereas, Soybean is grown during Kharif season. Discharge measured in main canal varies from 0.066 m3 /sec at head reach to 0.013 m3 /sec at tail reach. Discharge reaching to farmer’s field is changing from 3.82 to 5.36 lps. Seepage losses in main canal are measured to be 38.83 m3 / Mm2 to 16.04 m3 / Mm2 wetted area. Overall irrigation efficiency is computed to be 35 per cent. Productivity of Wheat crop varies from 4.5 to 35.1 q/ha which when converted to water productivity ranges from 0.33 to 1.55 kg/m3 . Water productivity for Gram varies from 0.97 kg/m3 to 1.86 kg/m3.