Contemporary Challenges in the Cauvery Delta: The Protected Special Agricultural Zone

1. Contemporary Challenges in the Cauvery Delta: The
Protected Special Agricultural Zone
MSSRF Virtual Consultation on
Science for Resilient Food, Nutrition and Livelihoods: Contemporary Challenges,
-07, 8 & 10 August 2020
- Surjit Vikraman, Centre for Agrarian Studies, NIRDPR

2. Slide 2 of 13
Cauvery Delta: Protected Special Agricultural Zone
Oldest Irrigation System in India- 2nd Century AD
Long history of Agricultural Development Programmes
 1942 - Grow More Food Campaign
 1960-61- Intensive Agricultural Area Programme (IAAP)
 1966 – 67 - High Yielding Variety Programme (HYVP)
Rice Bowl of South India
Slide 3 of 9

3. Slide 3 of 13
Cauvery Tribunal Award
 Tamil Nadu 404.25 TMC of water
 Karnataka 284.75 TMC
 Kerala 30 TMC and
 Puducherry 7 TMC.
Slide 3 of 9

4. Total Flow of Irrigation Water from Grand Anicut 1950-51 to 2006-07 (in tmc feet)
269
259
205
332
359
327327
335
294
339
319
243
310
159
194
205
235232
246
263259
276
293
320
81
204
258
252
302
242
140
125
243
124126
58
130
121
96
179
255
168
248
129127
176
199
167
208
141
47
23
89
105
197
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
1950-51
1952-53
1954-55
1958-59
1960-61
1962-63
1964-65
1966-67
1968-69
1970-71
1972-73
1974-75
1976-77
1978-79
1980-81
1982-83
1984-85
1986-87
1988-89
1990-91
1992-93
1994-95
1996-97
1998-99
2000-01
2002-03
2004-05
2006-07

5. Slide 5 of 13Slide 3 of 9
Source: State Disaster Management Perspective Plan 2018-2030
Mean and median flow of irrigation water from the Grand Anicut during different periods
from 1950-51 to 2006-07 in tmc feet
Period Mean (tmc)
Median
(tmc)
1950s 301 327
1960s 252 243
1970s 251 259
1980s 141 125
1990s 178 177
During 2000s 100 97
Source: For data from 1950-51 to 1979-80, Records of the Superintending Engineer, Public Works Department, Thanjavur Circle, cited in TNAU
(1985)
For data from 1980-81 to 2006-07, Records of the Office of Execituve Engineer, Public Works Department, Cauvery Division.

6. Slide 6 of 13Slide 3 of 9
Source: State Disaster Management Perspective Plan

7. Slide 7 of 13
Natural Calamities/Disasters in the region
2000; 2001;2002: Drought Years
2004 : Tsunami
2005 : Floods, crop damage in Cauvery delta
2008: Drought Year
2012: Drought Year
2016: Drought Year
2018 : Gaja Cyclone; Kollidam breach
Slide 3 of 9

8. Slide 8 of 13
Paddy cultivation in Cauvery Delta: Productivity and
Profitability
Slide 3 of 9
Year Yield of paddy in Cauvery Delta region during 1999-2012, by district
in tonnes per hectare
Thanjavur Tiruvarur Nagapattinam Cauvery Delta
(undivided Thanjavur)
Cost A2
(5 Yr Avg 1999-00 to 2003-04)
1999 3.5 3.0 3.3 3.3
Rs 18,444 per hectare
Procurement Price @ Rs 5.42 Rs
per kg
BREAK EVEN YIELD: 3.4 tonnes per
hectare.
3 times during a span of 14yrs was
this achieved
2000 3.7 3.8 3.3 3.6
2001 2.9 2.6 2.5 2.7
2002 2.3 0.9 1.2 1.5
2003 2.9 1.4 1.9 2.0
2004 2.7 1.6 0.9 1.8
2005 2.6 1.6 0.9 1.7
2006 3.6 3.3 3.8 3.6
2007 3.2 2.1 1.9 2.3
2008 2.0 1.2 1.3 1.6
2009 2.6 2.9 2.7 2.8
2010 2.9 1.8 2.1 2.3
2011 4.0 2.9 3.4 4.0
2012 2.9 1.2 1.4 1.9
Source: ICRISAT Mesolevel data.

9. Slide 9 of 13Cauvery Delta: Agro-ecological and Socio-economic
Diversity
Slide 3 of 9

10. Slide 10 of 13Cauvery Delta: Agro-ecological and Socio-economic
Diversity
Slide 3 of 9
 Type of irrigation
 Quality of irrigation
 Soil characteristics
 Agrarian density
 Mode of production
 Old Delta Cauvery Zone
 Old Delta Central Zone
 Old Delta Coastal Zone
 New Delta CMP Zone
 Dry Area Upland Zone

11. Slide 11 of 13
Cauvery Delta: The Protected Special Agricultural Zone
Declared as Protected Special Agricultural Zone in February, 2020
Need to understand the socio-economic and agro-ecological diversities in
designing strategies
 Sustainable Natural Resource Management Strategies: Water Management as
core component
 Shift of focus from Non-agriculture to Agriculture – Agriculture technology and
production strategies, Integrating with livestock and fisheries: Livelihoods,
Employment
 Institutions to support this strategy: Focus on Strengthening Decentralised
institutions, LSGs, esp. PRIs
 Service sector that can be integrated to the overall strategy : suitable MSMEs
Slide 3 of 9

12. Slide 12 of 13
Thank You
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RURAL
DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYATI RAJ
Slide 9 of 9