Your search found 32 records
1 Sharma, Bharat; de Condappa, D.; Bharati, Luna. 2011. Opportunities for harnessing the increased contribution of glacier and snowmelt flows in the Ganges Basin. Keynote speech presented at the International Conference on Cooperation on the Ganges: Barriers, Myths, and Opportunities, Institute of Water Policy, LKY School, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 13-14 November 2010. 16p.
River basins ; Climate change ; Glaciers ; Snowmelt ; Environmental temperature ; Upstream ; Downstream ; Mountains / South Asia / India / Nepal / Bangladesh / Ganges River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044143)
(0.71 MB)
The topography of Ganges basin (GB) is much contrasted with upstream steep mountainous region of the Himalayas and downstream large fertile plains in eastern India and Bangladesh. The Himalays are partly covered by snow and glaciers that seasonally release water to the river network of GB and provide cushion against the annual fluctuations. The contribution from the glaciers to the streamflows is supposed to be significant although spatilly distributed quantification is unavailable. Moreover, there is uncertainity on the impact of climate change on glaciers and the resultant streamflows. We set up an application of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP)model which contained an experimental glaciers module that accounts for snow and glaciers processes in the GB. The model also examined the possible impacts of an increase in temperature of +1, +2 or +3 degree Celsius over 20 years of the simulation period (1982-2002). The average annual stream flows in the GB that comes from melting of snow and ice in glaciated areas is significant (60-75%) in the Upper Ganga and in the Nepalese sub-basins. The share, however, reduces significantly further downstream, falling to about 19% at Farakka as flows from glaciated areas are diluted by streamflows generated by rainfall/ runoff processes. Climate change-induced rise in temperature logically increases the quantity of snow and ice that melts in glaciated areas , causing an augmentation of streamflows. However, this impact decreases from upstream ( +8% to +26% at Tehri Dam in Uttaranchal in India) to downstream (+1% to +4% at Farakka in West Bengal). Such increases in streamflows may create flood events more frequently or of higher magnitude in the Upper Ganga or in the mountainous sub-basins. In terms of water use, most of the extra water from glaciated areas do not flow when water is most required i.e. during the lean flow winter and early summer season. Potential strategy to exploit this additional water may include construction of new dams/ reservoir storages that could be used locally or within the transboundary agreements or to capture this extra water just at the end of the dry season (April-June) when flows from glaciated areas become noticeable. Enhancing the development of groundwater in the basin (from the present low level of ~ 30 per cent) through managed aquifer recharge and other suitable options shall be an equally viable option. The riparian states within India and India-Nepal- Bangladesh may harness this opportunity to alleviate physical water scarcity and transboundary water conflicts.
2 Sharma, Bharat; Amarasinghe, Upali. 2011. Unleashing the agricultural potential of Eastern India: understanding the constraints to forge a new paradigm. Invited paper presented at the 10th Agricultural Science Congress on Soil, Plant and Animal Health for Enhanced and Sustained Agricultural Productivity, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences at NBFGR, Luknow, India, 10-12 February 2011. 15p.
Poverty ; Food insecurity ; Flooding ; Flood control ; Water resources ; Water productivity ; Water use ; Agricultural production ; Groundwater ; Tube wells ; Pumping ; Energy ; Diesel oil / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044559)
ftp://ftp.solutionexchange.net.in/public/wes/resources/res-09061101.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044559.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044559.pdf
(0.51 MB) (534.96KB)
Development in India, though impressive; has been unbalanced and uncoordinated, leaving a vast population in the east poor, vulnerable and food-insecure. Poverty in this region is intense and multi-faceted. Curiously, the region is abundant in water, with fertile lands and vastly-un (/under)employed population but seriously lacks in innovative models, attractive policies and effective institutions. Small and half-hearted efforts made in the recent past have met with some measures of success. Impacts of climate change shall be fast and large as the region is squeezed between the mighty Himalayas and its numerous rivers on one side and ever-increasing sea-levels and cyclones in the Bay of Bengal on the other. Our hypothesis is that “efforts in the past have yielded little dividends as the states have been trying to make ‘the east’ as good as its ‘neighbourly rich west’. This is not working and is less likely to work in future as well, due to inherent contradictions. The more appropriate strategy shall be to transform ‘the east’ to the ‘southeast’ by following its small and productive farming systems dependent largely on local innovation, skilled manpower, regulated and supportive water resources, tiny but hugely productive land holdings, and vibrant market systems”. Such a paradigm shift has the potential to unshackle the persistent water-land-poverty nexus and a pathway out of poverty and also improve nutrition and health of the vastly poor population. We shall argue our case with some specific studies from Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. However, this needs to be tested and validated through good research on systems, policies and cross-learning platforms across the entire eastern region.
3 Hosterman, H. R.; McCornick, Peter G.; Kistin, E. J.; Sharma, Bharat; Bharati, Luna. 2012. Freshwater, climate change and adaptation in the Ganges River Basin. Water Policy, 14(1):67-79. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2011.065]
River basins ; Freshwater ; Water resources ; Water management ; Climate change ; Adaptation ; Ecosystems ; Water power ; Economic development ; Agriculture / India / Nepal / Bangladesh / China / Tibet / Ganges River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044644)
(0.11 MB)
Climate change is one of the drivers of change in the Ganges River Basin, together with population growth, economic development and water management practices. These changing circumstances have a significant impact on key social and economic sectors of the basin, largely through changes in water quantity, quality and timing of availability. This paper evaluates the impact of water on changing circumstances in three sectors of the Ganges Basin – agriculture, ecosystems and energy. Given the inherent interconnectedness of these core sectors and the cross-cutting impact of changing circumstances on water resources, we argue that adaptation should not be viewed as a separate initiative, but rather as a goal and perspective incorporated into every level of planning and decision making. Adaptation to changing circumstances will need to be closely linked to water resource management and will require significant collaboration across the sectors.
4 Sharma, Bharat; Amarasinghe, Upali; Cai, Xueliang; de Condappa, D.; Shah, Tushaar; Mukherji, Aditi; Bharati, Luna; Ambili, G. K.; Qureshi, Asad Sarwar; Pant, Dhruba; Xenarios, Stefanos; Singh, R.; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2012. The Indus and the Ganges: river basins under extreme pressure. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.30-58.
River basins ; Water resources ; Population growth ; Poverty ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Water demand ; Water use ; Water productivity ; Water conservation ; Groundwater management ; Irrigation water ; Energy consumption ; Electricity ; Policy ; Water law ; Water governance ; Land use ; Land tenure ; Crop production ; Rice ; Wheat ; Economic aspects ; Case studies ; Farmers / India / Pakistan / Nepal / Indus River Basin / Ganges River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044838)
(2.27 MB)
5 Cai, Xueliang; Molden, David; Mainuddin, M.; Sharma, Bharat; Ahmad, M. D.; Karimi, Poolad. 2012. Producing more food with less water in a changing world: assessment of water productivity in 10 major river basins. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.280-300.
Water management ; Water productivity ; Water consumption ; Water use ; River basins ; Crop production ; Food security ; Assessment ; Sustainable development ; Socioeconomic development ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Climate change ; Evapotranspiration ; Irrigation / China / Southeast Asia / South Asia / Iran / Africa / Yellow River Basin / Mekong River Basin / Indus River Basin / Ganges River Basin / Karkheh River Basin / Nile River Basin / Limpopo River Basin / Niger River Basin / Volta River Basin / Andes River Basins
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044848)
(1.64 MB)
6 Mulligan, M.; Fisher, M.; Sharma, Bharat; Xu, Z. X.; Ringler, C.; Mahe, G.; Jarvis, A.; Ramirez, J.; Clanet, J.-C.; Ogilvie, A.; Ahmad, M. D. 2012. The nature and impact of climate change in the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) basins. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.334-362.
Climate change ; Temperature ; Precipitation ; Seasonality ; River basins ; Food security ; Flow discharge ; Water balance ; Agriculture ; Poverty ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Rain / Africa / Asia / South America / Limpopo River Basin / Niger River Basin / Nile River Basin / Volta River Basin / Ganges River Basin / Karkeheh River Basin / Mekong River Basin / Yellow River Basin / Andes River Basins
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044850)
(2.13 MB)
7 Sharma, Bharat. 2012. Rainfed agriculture in India. Water Today, May:40-41.
Rainfed farming ; Irrigated farming ; Agricultural systems ; Agricultural production ; Rain water management ; Water harvesting ; Ecosystems / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044982)
(0.87 MB)
8 Sharma, Bharat; Langan, Simon; Amede, Tilahun. 2012. Developing rainwater management strategies through integration of technologies, institutions and policies for Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. [Presented at the Workshop on Rainfed Production under Growing Rain Variability: Closing the Yield Gap]. [Abstract only]. In Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). Water and food security. Abstract volume, World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, 26-31 August 2012. Stockholm, Sweden: Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). pp.137-138.
Rainwater management ; Technology ; Institutions ; Policy ; River basins ; Ecosystems ; Crop production ; Livestock / Ethiopia / Blue Nile River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045050)
http://www.worldwaterweek.org/documents/Resources/Synthesis/Abstract-Volume-2012.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H045050.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H045050.pdf
(0.06 MB) (2.19MB)
9 Sharma, Bharat. 2012. Unlocking value out of India’s rainfed farming areas. IWMI-Tata Water Policy Research Highlight, 10. 7p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045227)
(404.5KB)
10 Prathapar, Sanmugam; Sharma, Bharat; Aggarwal, Pramod. 2012. Hydro, hydrogeological constraints to managed aquifer recharge in the Indo Gangetic Plains. IWMI-Tata Water Policy Research Highlight, 40. 5p.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045487)
(305.5KB)
11 Amarnath, Giriraj; Sharma, Bharat. 2013. Manual of the Training on Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in Flood Inundation Mapping for Spate Irrigation Assessment in Sudan, jointly organized by IWMI, the Hydraulic Research Institute (HRS), Sudan, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), held at Wad Medani, Sudan, 15-17 January 2013. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 96p.
Training materials ; Remote sensing ; Image processing ; Radar ; GIS ; History ; Flooding ; Mapping ; Spate irrigation ; Assessment ; Institutions ; Data storage ; Data analysis ; Satellite observation
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045698)
(3.34 MB)
12 Sharma, Bharat; Ngachan, S. V.; Pant, D. 2013. Multiple use water systems for the hilly areas. In Palanisami, Kuppannan; Sharda, V. N.; Singh, D. V. (Eds.). Water management in the hill regions: evidence from field studies. [Outcome of the IWMI and ICAR Workshop organized by IWMI-TATA Water Policy Research Program]. New Delhi, India: Bloomsbury Publishing India. pp.160-190.
Water resources ; Water use ; Multiple use ; Highlands ; Irrigated sites ; Irrigation systems ; Drip irrigation ; Water poverty ; Indicators ; Rainfed farming ; Rain ; Costs ; Income ; Households / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G635 PAL Record No: H045733)
(1.94 MB)
13 Sharma, Bharat. 2013. Impact of climate change on water resources and potential adaptations for Indian agriculture. Annals of Agricultural Research, 34(1):1-14.
Climate change ; Adaptation ; Rainfed farming ; Water resources ; Groundwater ; Aquifers ; River basins ; Flooding ; Rain ; Drought ; Glaciers / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045853)
(0.11 MB)
Indian agriculture is the largest user of rainfall, surface and groundwater resources. Some of the large river systems feedings the canal systems and the groundwater aquifers, like the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and their several tributaries have their origin in the Himalayas. A large part of the discharge of these river systems is fed through melting of the snow and glaciers. Although there is a lack of adequate scientific evidence on regional scales, a number of recent observational and modelling studies do suggest that the climate is changing. According to IPCC, the most significant consequences of climate change will be its impact on the hydrologic cycle, as already experienced in many parts of the world including India. Changes in precipitation intensity and duration will probably be the main factors altering the hydrologic cycle leading to more floods and droughts. Availability or scarcity of water will vary greatly depending on the region. The impact of climate change will be greater in India, where a majority of the rural population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, and where agriculture is primarily dependent on the monsoons. Governments and communities have not been able to adequately address climate related challenges to people's livelihoods that follow from changes in water availability, loss of crops and income with the occurrence of extreme weather events like floods and droughts. After a brief introduction to the importance of the subject, this paper describes in detail the impact of climate change on water resources in India, with special reference to the Indus and the Ganges River systems which constitute the major food basket of the country. The impacts of climate change on agriculture sector, including the rainfed agriculture have been presented. An analysis of the potential opportunities presented by enhanced flows for the surface systems and recharge for the groundwater aquifers has been presented and the paper concludes by presenting adaptive mechanisms in the agriculture sector and the important recommendations for improving institutional capacity, development and management of water resources, adaptation to floods and prevention and management of droughts.
14 Sharma, Bharat; Rebelo, Lisa-Maria; Amarnath, Giriraj; Miltenburg, I. 2013. Launching next generation ICT for weather and water information and advice to smallholders in Africa [Abstract only]. Paper presented at the Mobile Services that Empower Vulnerable Communities, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 5th Conference on Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D), Accra, Ghana, 19-21 March 2013. 1p.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) ; Weather ; Smallholders ; Water resources / Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045902)
(0.11 MB)
We implemented an IFAD-supported project to promote ICT-based technologies for weather, water and crop –related information and advice to smallholders in Africa. A detailed user need assessment was carried out at four project sites in Ethiopia, Egypt, Sudan and Mali. About 60 farmers at each of the site receive customised information allowing them to plan at the individual field scale not just what to plant and irrigate, but when the weather conditions will be just right for maximum success. Additionally, the farmers in Sudan shall receive forecast on the potential floods. This has hugely empowered the small farmers of the vulnerable communities.
15 Peesapaty, N; Sharma, Bharat; Samad, Madar. 2005. Effectiveness of Andhra Pradesh [India] water land and trees act 2002 on groundwater extraction. In Mathur, G. N.; Chawla, A. S. (Eds.). Water for sustainable development - towards innovative solutions: proceedings of the XII World Water Congress, New Delhi, India, 22-25 November 2005. Vol. 3. New Delhi, India: Central Board of Irrigation and Power; Montpellier, France: International Water Resources Association (IWRA). pp.3:11-3:22.
Water resources ; Land resources ; Trees ; Legislation ; Groundwater management ; Groundwater extraction ; Groundwater irrigation ; Agricultural development / India / Andhra Pradesh
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 MAT Record No: H045960)
(0.90 MB)
16 Amarnath, Giriraj; Alahacoon, Niranga; Sharma, Bharat; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2013. Manual of the Training on Development of Flood Forecasting System for Gash Basin using Hydrological Model System, held at the Hydraulic Research Station (HRS), Kassala, Sudan, 27-29 August 2013. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 83p.
Training materials ; Remote sensing ; GIS ; Flooding ; Forecasting ; River basins ; Models ; Spate irrigation ; Watersheds ; Rain ; Flow discharge ; Computer applications ; Data / Sudan / Gash Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046101)
(17.26 MB)
17 Amarnath, Giriraj; Simons, G.; Sharma, Bharat; Mohammed, Y.; Gismalla, Y.; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2013. Smart-ICT for weather and water information and advice to smallholders in Africa. In UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. Conference on New Nile Perspectives Scientific Advances in the eastern Nile Basin, Khartoum, Sudan 6-8 May 2013. Advance copy of extended abstracts. Delft, Netherlands: UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. pp.117-125.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) ; Weather ; Smallholders ; Farmers ; Water resources ; Spate irrigation ; Flooding ; Mapping ; Rivers ; Catchment areas ; Satellite surveys ; Satellite imagery ; Evapotranspiration ; Crops ; Biomass / Africa / Sudan / Gash River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046103)
(1.84 MB)
Climate change, water scarcity and food security are becoming increasingly important topics for the growing population of Africa. Due to a general lack of water resources in semi-arid and arid zones, water is an increasingly scarce input in agriculture. The impact of climate change exacerbates this situation further. Even in areas with abundant water resources, optimal use is hampered by insufficient infrastructure to capture these resources and knowledge on appropriate use. With the increased demand and competition for limited water resources the challenge is to increase agricultural production while reducing water consumption (“more crop per drop”). Solutions must be found to enable rural people to overcome poverty, and a start can be made by assisting in food production and water management to combat food insecurity. Local solutions must be adopted in which rural people’s access to new technologies increases. Therefore, smart and affordable technologies need to be adapted to customize farm management for this group of African farmers. Poor farmers need to access real-time information, be able to exchange and apply it: smart ICT (e.g. cell-phones backed up by the web) can play a fundamental role in the communication process.
18 Zemadim, Birhanu; McCartney, Matthew; Langan, Simon; Sharma, Bharat. 2013. A participatory approach for hydro-meteorological monitoring in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia. In UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. Conference on New Nile Perspectives Scientific Advances in the eastern Nile Basin, Khartoum, Sudan 6-8 May 2013. Advance copy of extended abstracts. Delft, Netherlands: UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. pp.97-101.
River basins ; Hydrometeorology ; Monitoring ; Participatory approaches ; Watersheds ; Rain ; Soil moisture ; Stakeholders / Ethiopia / Blue Nile Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046104)
(0.21 MB)
19 Sharma, Bharat; Riaz, M. V.; Pant, D.; Bhatt, B. P.; Rahman, H.; Martin, D.; Nelson, N. (Eds.) 2014. Improving rural livelihoods through land and water based enterprises in the northeast India. Final report. National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – IWMI Livelihoods Project in the Northeast Region of India. New Delhi, India: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 53p.
Living standards ; Poverty ; Environmental effects ; Social aspects ; Indicators ; Water management ; Water use ; Water storage ; Land management ; Drip irrigation ; Households ; Income ; Participatory approaches ; Sanitation / India / Nepal / Nagaland / Mon district / Sikkim
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046305)
(1.73 MB)
20 Amarnath, Giriraj; Sharma, Bharat; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2014. Managing water resources in agriculture: opportunities from earth observation. [Abstract only]. In India Geospatial Media and Communications. India Geospatial Forum 2014 on Converging Geospatial Trade and Practices, Hyderabad, India, 5-7 February 2014. Programme guide. Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India: India Geospatial Media and Communications. pp.53.
Earth observation satellites ; Remote sensing ; Water management ; Water resources ; Agriculture ; Food production ; Climate change ; River basin / Asia / Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046368)
(0.09 MB)
Food security and economic livelihood of millions of people in Asia and Africa shall continue to depend upon the flows in the major rivers. Variability of water and other resources in time and space is the major natural impediment for sustainable agriculture, food production and development at large. The extremes of variability - floods and droughts - are the primary "agents" of destruction, severe crop damage and loss of human life. According to EM-DAT (2012), about 3 billion people in more than 110 countries are affected by catastrophic flooding. In 2011 alone they killed tens of thousands of people, primarily in developing countries, and caused over $150 billion in damage globally. Our present capacity to understand and make a reasonable forecast of the occurrence and thus management of such anomalies is rather inadequate. Earth observation (EO) satellites play a major role in the provision of information for the study and monitoring of the water resources and can support better understanding in Agricultural Water Resource Management. Their global nature also helps to address the problems of data continuity in trans-national basins where complete, consolidated, and consistent information may be difficult to obtain. In the years to come, EO technology will enter into a new era, where the increasing number of more sophisticated missions will provide scientists with an unprecedented capacity to observe and monitor the different components of climate variability on water resources from the local to the global scales. Already today, global observations of several key parameters governing the global water dynamics (e.g. precipitation, soil moisture, evaporation, transpiration, water levels, mass balance, gravity-derived groundwater measurements, etc.) are feasible. In addition, significant progress has been made in the area of data assimilation enhancing the capabilities to integrate EO-based product into suitable land surface and hydrological models; hence opening new opportunities for science and application. The presentation will illustrate examples of such information and solutions globally and from large river basins in Asia and Africa including flood risks and drought monitoring; Smart-lCT system for climate and weather information, irrigated area mapping etc.
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