India Urged to Reduce Water Usage in Agriculture

India Urged to Reduce Water Usage in Agriculture

VoM News Desk | March 23, 2024 | 11:13 AM IST | Climate & Environment, India | Follow on Google News

India Urged to Reduce Water Usage in Agriculture

India Urged to Reduce Water Usage in Agriculture

Professor Ramesh Chand, a member of the government’s think tank Niti Aayog, emphasized the need for India to significantly reduce its water usage in agriculture, especially in comparison to other nations. He highlighted that India utilizes two to three times more water per tonne of crop compared to several developed and developing countries. This call for reduction comes amidst concerns over sustainable agricultural practices.

Promotion of Sustainable Practices

Speaking at an event in New Delhi commemorating World Water Day 2024, Professor Chand stressed the importance of promoting sustainable agricultural practices, particularly by state governments. He emphasized the necessity for cultivation patterns to align with local environmental and geographical conditions, advocating for a shift away from water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane.

Addressing Irrigation Challenges

Professor Chand also addressed challenges in India’s irrigation infrastructure, noting that despite significant investments in irrigation projects between 1995 and 2015, the area under irrigation remained stagnant. However, he highlighted a positive trend since 2015, with the Central Government adopting a revised approach leading to a gradual increase in irrigated land from 47% to 55%.

Maximizing Water Usage

PK Singh, Agriculture Commissioner for the government of India, echoed the sentiment of optimizing water usage in agriculture. He emphasized the exploration of less investment-intensive methods to expand the area under irrigation while using the same amount of water. Singh highlighted collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Jal Shakti to maximize the utilization of surface water resources, aiming to increase agricultural land under irrigation without additional water consumption.

India’s efforts to reduce water usage in agriculture and enhance irrigation infrastructure are crucial steps towards achieving sustainable agricultural practices and ensuring water security for future generations.

VoM News Desk

VoM News is an online web portal in jammu Kashmir offers regional, National & global news.