Managing Irrigation: Challenges, Opportunities and Way Forward
Alok K Sikka
International Water Management Institute IWMI RepresentativeâIndia, New Delhi
9. Policies & Programmes in Water Sector
Major and Medium IrrigationÂ
Projects
Irrigation potential created increased from 9.72 MÂ
ha (1950 51) to 47 97 M ha (2011 12);Projects ha (1950â51) to 47.97 M ha (2011â12);Â
Accelerated Irrigation BenefitsÂ
Programme (AIBP)
108.21 M ha irrigational potential created  (aboutÂ
77%Â Â of UIP)
Command Area Development andÂ
Water Management Programme Â
About 22 M ha covered since inception upto
March, 2011
Repair, Renovation and RestorationÂ
(RRR) of Water Bodies
Restoration completed in 1054 water bodies in 15Â
States(RRR) of Water Bodies States
Artificial Recharge to Ground WaterÂ
through Dug wells
Implemented in 1180 over exploited, critical andÂ
semiâcritical blocks in 7 States.
i l i i j l i l b 20%National Water Mission Major goal to improve WUE at least by 20%
National Mission on Micro IrrigationÂ
(NMMI)
Promoting enhanced WUE
National Program on AquiferÂ
Mapping & Management
Mapping & characterizing aquifer at 1:50000
Prime Minister Krishi Sinchayee Provide water access to each farm field
Yojana (PMKSY)
9
10. Bridging DemandBridging DemandââSupply GapSupply Gap
⢠Researchers, managers, implementers and policy planners are
challenged to find out ways and means of bridging the growing
demandâsupply gap in water and agriculture and gap between IPCdemandâsupply gap in water and agriculture and gap between IPC
and IPU and aging irrigation systems.
⢠Fundamental ways to bridge demandâsupply gap of water in
agriculture are, to:
⢠increase water supplies,
⢠improve water productivity âMore crop per dropâ,p p y p p p ,
⢠make economic choices
⢠reduce water withdrawals, and make crop substitutions
⢠demand management⢠demand management
⢠coâmanagement of water (multiple water use)
⢠Environmentally benign strategies
14. Innovations Innovations ââ Farm and FieldFarm and Field
⢠Surface irrigation often performs poorly,Â
but:
â Improved farmer knowledge and simple toolsÂ
work;
â Laser grading and levelling can transformÂ
performance and reduce energy costs;
â Sprinkler, drip and trickle systems can reduceÂ
labour, fertilizer and water requirements., q
⢠Onâfarm storage and/or access toÂ
groundwater enables farmers to getÂ
b f f i i ibetter performance from irrigationÂ
services
Capacity building for farmers is essentialCapacity building for farmers is essentialCapacity building for farmers is essentialCapacity building for farmers is essential
15. Modernizing  Irrigation ServicesModernizing  Irrigation Servicesfort
Modern management:
⢠Agree cropping pattern with water users at
start of season based on available water
supply
Additional effort
required to move from
one level to the next
gement eff
Supply orientated management:
supply
⢠Schedule to match demands
⢠Measure and monitor allocations
⢠Assess performance
Manag
Simple flood irrigation:
Supply orientated management:
⢠Fix cropping at design stage
⢠Enforce designed cropping pattern
⢠Control by level, maintain FSL in main canals
Time
⢠Construct channels
⢠Flood land Burton, Martin. 2011. Water Management in India: Options for Change. Presentation at the 2011 FAOÂ
Investment Days Meeting, December 15â17.
16. Improving  Irrigation PerformanceImproving  Irrigation Performance
⢠Requires:
â strengthening links between main system and farmers'strengthening links between main system and farmers Â
fields
â problems identified by Chambers in 1980s âStill is anproblems identified by Chambers in 1980s Still is anÂ
issue
â ResultsÂ
⢠Expansion of groundwater use and local storage
⢠Poor cost recovery, etc.Poor cost recovery, etc.
⢠Lack of maintenance
19. Narmada Canal Project, Rajasthan: An Efficient Narmada Canal Project, Rajasthan: An EfficientÂ
Canal fed pressurized Irrigation SystemCanal fed pressurized Irrigation System
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Canal fed pressurized Irrigation SystemCanal fed pressurized Irrigation System
Isabgol Crop
Pump house
Sump well
Isabgol Crop
DIGGI Canal outlet
Canal
W i b 45 49% A ll i ll b i f i i iWater saving by 45â49%: An overall environmentally benign system of irrigationÂ
24. Rapid, Rapid, Unsustainable  Unsustainable  and and Inequitable InequitableÂ
Groundwater DevelopmentGroundwater Development
⢠Emergence of low cost pumps and government policies led to phenomenal growth of
groundwater development
⢠GW abstraction structures increased from 4 million in 1951 to nearly 24 million
⢠Groundwater irrigation contributes 61% of total irrigated area
⢠Great regional differences in level of GW development
⢠Virtual water, movement of food grains from water scarce region of western IGP to water
surplus eastern regionsurplus eastern region
Scope for sustainable development of GW in Eastern region
25. Issues & Issues & Opportunities in Eastern IndiaOpportunities in Eastern India
⢠Limited access to small farmers
⢠Low affordabilityÂ
VW Flow Direction
y
⢠Higher cost of pumping
⢠Technological push for GW useÂ
⢠Promoting institutional  arrangements   g g
including groundwater markets, waterÂ
franchisees, community/group tubeÂ
wells for increased access to waterwells for increased access to water
⢠Underground taming of flood waters forÂ
irrigation
⢠Complement governmentâs program of
Virtual water, movement of food grains from
Complement government s program ofÂ
Bringing Green Revolution in EasternÂ
India
7
g
water scarce region of western IGP to water
surplus eastern region
33. PradhanPradhan MantriMantri KrishiKrishiPradhan Pradhan MantriMantri KrishiKrishi
SinchayeeSinchayee YojanaYojana
PMKSY
HarHar KhetKhet KoKo PaaniPaaniHarHar KhetKhet KoKo PaaniPaani
Moving from fragmented approach toÂ
converged âend to endâ solutionco e ged e d to e d so ut o
35. I di â M I i i D i d Di i
IWMIIWMIââTATA Policy PaperTATA Policy Paper
Indiaâs Most Irrigation Deprived Districts
Indiaâs most irrigation deprived districts areÂ
primarily located in Central Indian Tribal 112 out of the 126 districts have unutilized p y
Highlands, Rajasthan and the Deccan region GW potential for future irrigationÂ
development
Source: Tushaar et. Al. 2016
37. Convergence for Better Use ofÂ
W i A i l
Last Mile Coverage of  IrrigationÂ
Water in Agriculture Project
Water lifting deviceÂ
on dug well in Damoh. Water being released from Kutni
dam to feeder canal in chattarpur
Farmers lifting water from feederÂ
canaldam to feeder canal in chattarpur
district.
canal.
Mi i i ti dMicro irrigation and cropÂ
diversification, Damoh.
Farmers irrigating wheat cropÂ
from the pannchampur Minor.
A good stand of wheat crop.
38. Synergy between INDCs and SDGsSynergy between INDCs and SDGs
INDCs & Water
⢠Enhancing efficient use ofÂ
water (WUE by 20%)
⢠Ensure water access
⢠Water harvesting & GWWater harvesting & GWÂ
recharge
⢠Wastewater reuse (alsoÂ
source of nutrients)
2.3 Doubling Agri Production
2.4 Resilient Agri products
13.1 Adaptive capacity to CC
13.2 Integrating CC measuresÂ
3.3 Capacity development on CC
source of nutrients)
⢠Increased forest/tree coverÂ
(C sink of 2.5â3 bil. t of CO2
equivalent)
⢠Solar pumps (100K)
l
15.1 Sustainable Ecoâsys
15 3 C b d d i
7.1 Access to renewable 1.5 Reducing vulnerability
Harmonize complementarities 15.3 Combat degradation energy
39. Key Messages Key MessagesÂ
⢠Improving irrigation performance to enable reduced diversions &
return flows and enhanced livelihoods and food security.
⢠Combination of supply augmentation and demand management⢠Combination of supply augmentation and demand management
⢠Canal fed pressurized irrigation
⢠Mainstreaming of emerging innovations and technologies⢠Mainstreaming of emerging innovations and technologies
through onâgoing National/State programs/schemes
⢠DSS integrating hydrologic, agronomy and socioâeconomic models
⢠Promote use of ICT in irrigation management
⢠Modernization and revitalization of irrigation systems
⢠Greater emphasis on use of solar irrigation
⢠Capitalize on coâbenefits of mitigation through conjunctive
t f t dmanagement of water and energy
40. Th k !Th k !Thank you!Thank you!
Email â a.sikka@cgiar.org