Water Productivity and Income

Abstract

Food security and reducing poverty for the ever-growing population in India is a challenging task. India’s agricultural land is 142 million ha with 135% cropping intensity (NAAS, 2009) and 60% is rainfed, which is characterized by water scarcity, land degradation, low use of inputs and low productivity. Agricultural productivity of these areas oscillates between 0.5 t/ha and 2 t/ha with an average of 1 t/ha (Rockstrom et a l, 2010; Wani et al., 2011a, b). Of the total agricultural area, the 40% that is irrigated land contributes 55% of total food production in the country (Gol, 2012) but on the other hand it consumes almost 70% of freshwater resources and has left limited scope for further expansion of the irrigated area (Central Water Commission, 2005; CGWB, 2012). Thus, achieving food security of the country at present and in the future is largely dependent on rainfed agriculture (Wani et al., 2009, 2012a). Despite several constraints and limitations of rainfed areas, huge untapped potential exists for enhancing crop yield through improved land, water, nutrient and other natural resource management options (Rockstrom et al., 2007; Garg et al., 2012a, 2013; Wani et al., 2012a; Singh et al., 2014)