Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today accorded sanction to 280 tube wells at a cost of Rs 108 crore for the kandi region to overcome paucity of irrigation water.

This paper shows that winds of change are blowing in the dry zones of north-central Sri Lanka, the original hydraulic civilisation of the world. The social organisation of tank irrigation - which for centuries had combined a stylised land-use pattern, a system of highly differentiated property rights, and elaborate rules of community management of tank irrigation - has now been morphing in response to demographic pressures, market signals, technical change and modernisation. What are the lessons for south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa?

Groundwater is now the main source of water for all major water uses in India and needs to be given greater policy attention. The fact that it is a politically sensitive topic because any reform will affect some powerful constituencies cannot be an excuse anymore for lack of action. Inaction only increases existing inequalities in access to groundwater by progressively reinforcing the power of bigger landowners at the expense of other water users.

This new report released by Stockholm International Water Institute shows how continuing current trends in food production could lead to increased shortages and intense competition for scarce water resources in many regions across the world.

Globally, irrigated agriculture is the largest abstractor and predominant consumer of groundwater resources. In many arid and drought-prone areas, unconstrained use is causing serious aquifer depletion and environmental degradation.

The report aims to provide a conceptual framework to address food security under conditions of water scarcity in agriculture.

While about 70% of Indian electricity is carbon-based, a quarter of the nation’s consumption goes into agriculture, to extract groundwater for irrigation. Improving the energy efficiency of Indian agriculture is thus a critical issue for the world at large, from both a climate change and energy security perspective.

Waterlogging and secondary salinisation have become serious problems in canal irrigated areas of arid and semi-arid regions. This study examined hydrology and estimated the seasonal net groundwater recharge of an irrigated semi-arid region located in the Haryana State of India where about 500 000 ha area are waterlogged and unproductive, and the size of the waterlogged area is increasing, causing a threat to agricultural sustainability.

New Delhi: On paper, about 12% of Delhi’s water needs are met by groundwater reserves. Unofficially, the figure almost touches 50%.

Two decisions taken by the Government of West Bengal, one, to facilitate easier extraction of groundwater, and the other, the application of a fi xed connection fee for an electricity connection to farmers could well lead to a quantum leap in agricultural production.

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