Sensitise, incentivise farmers to conserve water

Surinder S Kukal and Paul S Sidhu

PUNJAB is a water-stressed agrarian state. The water demand of the agriculture sector (66 billion cubic metres, or BCM) has surpassed its availability (53 BCM); this has resulted in excessive mining of groundwater resources. Of the total water use in the state, the agriculture sector consumes 94.3%, followed by the domestic sector (3.7%), industry (1.7%) and livestock (0.3%). Climate change resulting in rising temperatures and high frequency of extreme weather events such as droughts and high-intensity rains, coupled with ever-increasing population, are expected to accentuate water demand of the industrial and domestic sectors at the cost of agriculture.

The average annual rainfall in Punjab decreased from 490 mm (1970-2020) to 444 mm (1998-2020); its temporal and spatial distribution became more erratic with prolonged dry spells. The average annual rainfall in the catchment area of the Bhakra reservoir has decreased from 1,124 mm (1983-2018) to 1,056 mm (2014-2018). Even with no reduction in rainfall, the actual evapotranspiration (water loss from soil, plant and other surfaces) is projected to increase by 5% and 8% by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Consequently, the water demand is expected to increase from the present 66 BCM to 70 and 72 BCM in 2030 and 2050, respectively. The popularity of the water-intensive rice-wheat system; inefficient use of water in agriculture, industrial and domestic sectors; non-recycling of wastewater; and 5.3 BCM rainwater going out of the state’s boundaries are the real challenges that have to be dealt with to ensure sustainable use of water in agriculture. This calls for a three-pronged strategy: (i) increasing water availability (ii) managing water resources (iii) judicious use of water and promoting sustainable use of water in agriculture.

Increasing availability

Rainwater harvesting: Harvesting of rainwater for storage, reuse and groundwater recharge, coupled with wastewater treatment and reuse for irrigation and/or non-drinking purposes, can increase water availability. More than 90% of rainwater amounting to around 3 BCM in urban areas runs off the surface to join streams and rivers. This water needs to be harvested for groundwater recharge or storage.

A policy needs to be framed for mandatory harvesting of rainwater from rooftops in urban areas, either on an individual basis (larger buildings/houses) or on a community basis (smaller buildings/houses). The harvested rainwater can be used for non-drinking purposes. The rain-runoff water from open impervious (concreted) spaces needs to be diverted for recharging groundwater. This water can also be stored and diverted for various uses through separate supply pipelines.

Most of the rain-runoff water in villages accumulates in ponds. In pre-1960 Punjab, the pond-bed soil was excavated as it dried completely in May-June and acted as a groundwater recharge point. With the fast pace of economic development, these ponds are now no more excavated and the seepage from the pond surface is virtually nil. Through community action, the ponds should be renovated and maintained as quality water bodies.

Managing resources

Improving recharge: Increasing urbanisation, negligible green belts and concretisation of land surface have decreased groundwater recharge and increased the runoff. The state has 57 blocks with groundwater extraction of more than 200%, of which 12 have groundwater extraction of more than 300%, indicating higher withdrawals against recharge.

Drains in rural areas, most of which are presently defunct, need to be desilted and provided with gabion-type of structures at regular intervals so as to ensure natural recharge of excess runoff water, through these drains.

Farmers in some canal command areas, especially in central Punjab, prefer using tubewell water for irrigation due to ease of irrigation. They have installed automatic starters on tubewells, leading to large-scale wastage of water. Farmers should be sensitised about the benefits of using canal water, especially in the head and middle reaches of irrigation channels.

Judicious use

Crop diversification: A robust strategy needs to be developed and executed for the diversification of crops. A strategy at the micro-level (a block or cluster of blocks) needs to be developed for this purpose based on water availability, niche area crops (other than paddy) and market infrastructure in that unit. Based on this strategy, a block or block cluster-specific crop diversification plan should be developed. The economic benefit of alternative crops with or without value addition must be equivalent to that of paddy crop.

Rationing and credits: The consumption of ground- or surface-water should be rationed, based on good irrigation practices as recommended by Punjab Agricultural University. The quantity of water consumed above the recommended limit should be charged at higher rates as per this proposed scheme: Farms (above 12 hectares), 400% of the nominal rates; farms (4-12 hectares), 300%; and farms (up to 4 hectares), 200%.

Farmers who save irrigation water over and above the recommended allocation, either through innovative techniques like micro-irrigation or through crop diversification, may be credited for such savings at the rate of Rs 2/m3 with a specified ceiling.

Thus, an integrated approach based on a three-pronged strategy, followed and executed with a dedicated timeline, can ensure sustained use of water in agriculture.

Kukal is Member, Punjab Water Regulation & Development

Authority; Sidhu is former Senior Agriculturist, World Bank

(South Asia Region)