Lok Sabha Question No. 3268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-06
Subject: Use of Excessive Water in Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: NALIN KUMAR KATEEL, B.N. CHANDRAPPA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3268

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 6 TH   DECEMBER, 2016

## USE OF EXCESSIVE WATER IN AGRICULTURE

3268.     SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL: SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  agriculture  sector  in  the  country  is  using  two  to  four  times  more  water  to produce a unit of major food crops than that of China or Brazil and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there is an urgent need to conduct research and development to find out ways to change the agricultural practices to ensure minimal use of water in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the measures taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): As per available information,  the irrigated area in India is about 66 million hectare using 688 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) of irrigation water.  In respect of China and Brazil, the irrigation coverage is 62.9 and 4.45 million hectare respectively with withdrawal of irrigation water to the extent of 358 BCM and 31.7 BCM respectively.  Use of irrigation water thus comes to about 7.12 BCM per million hectare, 5.69 BCM per million hectare and 10.42 BCM per million hectare in  Brazil,  China  &  India  respectively.    There  are  some  research  reports published during last decade stating that India uses two to four times more water to produce a unit of major food crop than China and Brazil due to low water productivity in India. However, with adoption of modern agronomic practices like raised bed sowing, alternate furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, direct seeding of rice(DSR), system of rice intensification (SRI) and newer practices of water  usage  by  the  Indian  farmers,  the  water  requirement  for  raising  food  crops  in  India  is comparable with other countries.
- (b): Indian  Institute  of  Water  Management  (IIWM),  Bhubaneswar,  All  India  Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on irrigation water management and Consortia Research Platform on Water is addressing issues related to judicious use of water ensuring higher crop productivity in the  country.  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  has  developed  cost  effective, location specific scientific technologies viz., rainwater harvesting and recycling, multiple use of water,   conjunctive   use   of   rain,   surface   and   groundwater resources, smart and precision Contd…2/-

technologies  for  irrigation  and  farming  practices,  optimum  irrigation  scheduling,  resource conservation technologies, development of land drainage and reclamation of problem soils to enhance irrigation water efficiency and water productivity in Indian agriculture.

(c): To  improve  the  water  use  efficiency,  a  dedicated  component  namely  Per  Drop  More Crop (PDMC) component is being implemented under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) to focus water use efficiency through adoption of precision irrigation technologies and better agronomic measures.  During the year 2015-16, an area of about 5.7 lakh hectare has been  brought  under  drip  and  sprinkler  irrigation  systems  to  improve  water  use  efficiency. Besides, crop diversification, adoption of SRI, DSR, conservation agriculture practices etc. are being promoted to improve water use efficiency in agriculture sector.

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