ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rice (Orzya sativa L.), a staple food of more than half of world’s population is predominantly a wetland crop. However, due to various geographical as well as agro-climatic conditions, its cultivation has been practiced on inundated land areas such as Punjab. Predominantly due to lesser rainfall in Punjab as compared to other eastern states in India, prolonged paddy cultivation has caused ground water depletion in the region. Such scenario has increased the risk of the region becoming highly vulnerable and severely affected by water shortage in near future for agricultural as well as other legitimate purposes as the recharge of ground water in the region is least comparative to its depletion rate. This study was undertaken to estimate a monitory indicator of food and water security i.e. irrigation water productivity of paddy (IWP) and to understand feasible interventions that are both effective as well adoptable by farmers regarding increased IWP in paddy cultivation. The estimated IWP of 0.29 Kg/m3 is low when compared with best national and international IWP in paddy. Such scenario is an outcome of inefficient irrigation as well as agricultural practices.
To optimize irrigation water usage in paddy cultivation with no or least yield penalty to the farmers, it is essential to intervene with the current farming and irrigation practices. Region specific efficient interventions for enhancement of IWP are underground pipeline system (UGPS), laser leveling, direct seeding of rice (DSR), short duration varieties, drip irrigation and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) system of irrigation. Amongst these, farmers’ perception are broadly in favor of UGPS and laser leveling that they are most likely to adopt for farming. Hence, enhancement of farming and irrigation practices is a matter of interlinking farmers and government officials on same grounds to have better support system in terms of feasible policies for farmers.
Key words: Ground water depletion, paddy cultivation, Irrigation water productivity, efficient interventions, Farmers’ perception
