Your search found 16 records
1 Pathak, P.; Wani, S. P.; Sudi, R.; Chourasia, A. K.; Singh, S. N.; Kesava Rao, A. V. R. 2007. Rural prosperity through integrated watershed management: a case study of Gokulpura-Goverdhanpura in Eastern Rajasthan. Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) 45p. (Global Theme on Agroecosystems Report 36)
Watershed management ; Agroclimatic zones ; Water harvesting ; Water storage ; Groundwater recharge ; Wells ; Water lifting ; Irrigated farming ; Tanks ; Poverty ; Indicators ; Public health ; Income distribution ; Livestock / India / Rajasthan / Gokulpura-Goverdhanpura Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 631.7.3 G635 PAT Record No: H041332)
The agriculture in eastern Rajasthan is characterized by high risks from drought, degraded natural resources and pervasive poverty. At Gokulpura-Goverdhanpura village in Bundi ajasthan, ICRISAT along with partners implemented integrated watershed project using holistic systems approach with integrated genetic and natural resource management (IGNRM) strategy. This report discusses the multi-faceted impact of this watershed program. It has been found that the science-led participatory watershed program at Gokulpura-Goverdhanpura had made positive impacts on natural resources, rural livelihoods and environment. The major impact of watershed interventions was seen in improving the surface and groundwater availability. Increased water availability resulted in increased cropping intensity and diversifi cation to more remunerative land use systems involving livestock, horticultural and vegetable production. Overall, the watershed program has reduced land degradation, enhanced agricultural productivity and incomes, decreased poverty of rural poor, reduced labor migration and improved environment quality.
2 Melesse, A. M.; Abtew, W.; Setegn, S. G.; Dessalegne, T. 2011. Hydrological variability and climate of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin. In Melesse, A. M. (Ed.). Nile River Basin: hydrology, climate and water use. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. pp.3-37.
Hydrology ; Climate change ; River basins ; Rain ; Statistics ; Hydrometeorology ; Air temperature ; Topography ; Agroclimatic zones ; Soils ; Lakes ; Flow / Ethiopia / Upper Blue Nile River Basin / Lake Tana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 551.483 G136 MEL Record No: H044021)
3 Ogilvie, A.; Mahe, G.; Ward, J.; Serpantie, G.; Lemoalle, J.; Morand, P.; Barbier, B.; Diop, A. T.; Caron, A.; Namara, Regassa; Kaczan, D.; Lukasiewicz, A.; Paturel, J.-E.; Lienou, G.; Clanet, J. C. 2012. Water, agriculture and poverty in the Niger River Basin. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.131-159.
Water management ; River Basins ; Agricultural production ; Rainfed farming ; Irrigated farming ; Poverty ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Indicators ; Water productivity ; Water availability ; Rain ; Mapping ; Agroclimatic zones ; Land tenure ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Corporate culture / West Africa / Niger River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044842)
(2.24 MB)
4 Kuppannan, Palanisami; Raman, S.; Mohan, Kadiri. (Eds.) 2012. Micro-irrigation: economics and outreach. New Delhi, India: Macmillan. 345p.
Irrigation systems ; Irrigation schemes ; Microirrigation ; Drip irrigation ; Sprinkler irrigation ; Irrigation practices ; Economic analysis ; Cost benefit analysis ; Financial situation ; Water resources ; Water availability ; Water demand ; Water supply ; Water use efficiency ; Groundwater irrigation ; Wells ; Surface water ; Tank irrigation ; Irrigated sites ; Capacity building ; Indicators ; Assessment ; Horticulture ; Cropping patterns ; Crop production ; Agroclimatic zones ; Rainfall patterns ; Land use ; Farmland ; Farm size ; Farmers ; Social aspects / India / Karnataka / Andhra Pradesh / Tamil Nadu / Kerala / Maharashtra / Gujarat / Orissa / Uttar Pradesh / Rajasthan / Punjab / Haryana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044862)
(0.45 MB)
5 Chinnasamy, Pennan; Maheshwari, B.; Prathapar, Sanmugam. 2015. Understanding groundwater storage changes and recharge in Rajasthan, India through remote sensing. Water, 7(10):5547-5565. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w7105547]
Groundwater extraction ; Water storage ; Water use ; Water resources ; Remote sensing ; Rainwater ; Water harvesting ; Rainfall patterns ; Agroclimatic zones ; Irrigated farming ; Agriculture ; Case studies / India / Rajasthan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047232)
(0.00 MB) (1.96 MB)
Groundwater management practices need to take hydrogeology, the agro-climate and demand for groundwater into account. Since agroclimatic zones have already been demarcated by the Government of India, it would aid policy makers to understand the status of groundwater recharge and discharge in each agroclimatic zone. However, developing effective policies to manage groundwater at agroclimatic zone and state levels is constrained due to a paucity of temporal data and information. With the launch of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission in 2002, it is now possible to obtain frequent data at broad spatial scales and use it to examine past trends in rain induced recharge and groundwater use. In this study, the GRACE data were used to estimate changes to monthly total water storage (TWS) and groundwater storage in different agroclimatic zones of Rajasthan, India. Furthermore, the long-term annual and seasonal groundwater storage trends in the state were estimated using the GRACE data and the trends were compared with those in rainfall data. The methodology based on GRACE data was found to be useful in detecting large scale trends in groundwater storage changes covering different agroclimatic zones. The analysis of data shows that groundwater storage trends depend on rainfall in previous years and, therefore, on the antecedent moisture conditions. Overall, the study indicates that if suitable groundwater recharge methods and sites are identified for the state, there is potential to achieve more groundwater recharge than what is currently occurring and, thus, enhancing the availability of water for irrigated agriculture.
6 Amarasingha, R. P. R. K.; Suriyagoda, L. D. B.; Marambe, B.; Gaydon, D. S.; Galagedara, L. W.; Punyawardena, R.; Silva, G. L. L. P.; Nidumolu, U.; Howden, M. 2015. Simulation of crop and water productivity for rice (Oryza sativa L.) using APSIM under diverse agro-climatic conditions and water management techniques in Sri Lanka. Agricultural Water Management, 160:132-143. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2015.07.001]
Water productivity ; Water management ; Rice ; Crop management ; Agroclimatic zones ; Irrigation water ; Rain ; Water requirements ; Plant establishment ; Farmers / Sri Lanka / Maha-Illuppallama / Bathalagoda / Bombuwela / Dambadeniya / Maradankalla / Thabbowa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047402)
(0.93 MB)
The APSIM–Oryza model has been used worldwide to evaluate the impact of diverse management practices on the growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Despite its importance, the crop productivity (kg ha-1) and water productivity (kg ha-1mm-1) of rice under moisture-limited (i.e. rainfed or rainfed with supplementary alternate wetting-and-drying (AWD) irrigation) farmer-field conditions in tropical South-Asia has received little attention in modelling exercises. Benefits of aligning crop establishment with the onset of rainfall to reduce dependency on supplementary irrigation and improve crop and water productivities have not yet been quantified in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we parameterised and evaluated the APSIM–Oryza model for two widely grown Sri Lankan short- and medium-duration rice varieties. The model estimated the grain yield of rice under moisture-limited farmer-field conditions with a strong fit (n = 24, R2 > 0.97, RMSE= 484 kg ha-1), across cultivation year, season, time of establishment (i.e. with rainfall onset or date-specific planting), variety and/or water management practice (i.e. totally rainfed or rainfed with supplementary irrigation). A climatic analysis indicated that the farmers regularly establish rice crops 2–4 weeks after the rainfall onset. This is a consequence of the current practice of setting the date for crop establishment at pre-season cultivation meetings without a scientifically-validated rainfall forecast. The same analysis revealed that an early onset to the rainy season resulted in longer seasons with more rain than late onset. When the onset of rainfall is delayed, crop modelling scenarios using the validated APSIM model showed an increased dependence on supplementary irrigation for rice cultivation. Alternatively, in years when an early onset was observed, late planting in the season reduced the use of rain water by 95% while increasing the irrigation water requirement by 11% compared with planting at rainfall onset. Access to supplementary with AWD irrigation increased the stability of grain yield, and crop and water productivity, irrespective of the onset of rainfall or time of crop establishment.
7 Bhatti, Muhammad Tousif; Balkhair, K. S.; Masood, A.; Sarwar, S. 2018. Optimized shifts in sowing times of field crops to the projected climate changes in an agro-climatic zone of Pakistan. Experimental Agriculture, 54(2):201-213. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479716000156]
Climate change ; Agroclimatic zones ; Sowing date ; Farmland ; Cotton industry ; Wheats ; Emission ; Temperature ; Rain ; Water requirements ; Water availability ; Water supply ; Agriculture ; Precipitation ; Irrigation canals / Pakistan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047487)
(0.43 MB)
This paper evaluates 30-year (2013–2042) projections of the selected climatic parameters in cotton/wheat agro-climatic zone of Pakistan. A statistical bias correction procedure was adopted to eliminate the systematic errors in output of three selected general circulationmodels (GCM) under A2 emission scenario. A transfer function was developed between the GCM outputs and the observed time series of the climatic parameters (base period: 1980–2004) and applied to GCM future projections. The predictions detected seasonal shifts in rainfall and increasing temperature trend which in combination can affect the crop water requirements (CWR) at different phonological stages of the two major crops (i.e. wheat and cotton). CROPWAT model is used to optimize the shifts in sowing dates as a climate change adaptation option. The results depict that with reference to the existing sowing patterns, early sowing of wheat and late sowing of cotton will favour decreased CWR of these crops.
8 Kumar, S.; Ramilan, T.; Ramarao, C. A.; Srinivasa Rao, C.; Whitbread, A. 2016. Farm level rainwater harvesting across different agro climatic regions of India: assessing performance and its determinants. Agricultural Water Management, 176:55-66. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.05.013]
Rainwater ; Water harvesting ; Small scale systems ; Agroclimatic zones ; Rainfed farming ; Farm ponds ; Dry farming ; Productivity ; Supplemental irrigation ; On-farm research ; Farmer participation ; Farm income ; Households ; Socioeconomic environment ; Technology ; Strategies / India / Andhra Pradesh / Maharashtra / Karnataka / Tamil Nadu / Rajasthan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047965)
(1.14 MB)
Rainwater harvesting and its utilization have a very important role to play in harnessing the production potential within dryland systems. This study assesses the performance of small rainwater harvesting structures (farm-ponds) in 5 major rainfed states of India over the period 2009–2011 using data from multiple sources and stakeholders. Rainwater which is harvested using structures of varying types and sizes was used for either supplemental irrigation or recharging open-wells. In many cases, the farm level rainwater harvesting structures were highly effective for rainfed farming and had a multiplier effect on farm income. In some situations however, it was viewed by farmers as a waste of productive land. The use of farm ponds in Maharashtra, for example, resulted in a significant increase in farm productivity (12–72%), cropping intensity and consequently farm income. In the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, farm pond water was profitably used for supplemental irrigation to mango plantations, vegetables or other crops and animal enterprises with net returns estimated to be between US$ 120 and 320 structure-1 annum-1. Despite such examples, the adoption of the farm ponds was low, except in Maharashtra. A functional analysis of the reasons for high adoption of water harvesting structures indicated that factors such as technical support, customized design, level of farmer participation, age, existing ownership of open wells, annual rainfall and household assets were the major determinants of performance of farm-level rainwater harvesting structures. Based on this countrywide analysis, different policy and institutional options are proposed for promoting farm-level rainwater-harvesting for dryland agriculture.
9 Amarasingha, R. P. R. K.; Suriyagoda, L. D. B.; Marambe, B.; Rathnayake, W. M. U. K.; Gaydon, D. S.; Galagedara, L. W.; Punyawardena, R.; Silva, G. L. L. P.; Nidumolu, U.; Howden, M. 2017. Improving water productivity in moisture-limited rice-based cropping systems through incorporation of maize and mungbean: a modelling approach. Agricultural Water Management, 189:111-122. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2017.05.002]
Water productivity ; Cropping systems ; Intercropping ; Rice ; Maize ; Mung beans ; Water requirements ; Irrigation water ; Supplemental irrigation ; Simulation models ; Performance evaluation ; Crop yield ; Soil moisture ; Risk assessment ; Agroclimatic zones / Sri Lanka / Aralaganwila / Bathalagoda / Bombuwela / Maha-Illuppallama / Maradankalla / Vanathawilluwa / Weerawila
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048189)
(1.01 MB)
Crop and water productivities of rice-based cropping systems and cropping patterns in the irrigated lowlands of Sri Lanka have not been researched to the degree warranted given their significance as critical food sources. In order to reduce this knowledge gap, we simulated the water requirement for rice, maize, and mungbean under rice-based cropping systems in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka. We evaluated the best combinations of crops for minimum water usage while reaching higher crop and water productivities. We also assessed the risk of cultivating mungbean as the third season/sandwich crop (i.e. rice-mungbean-rice) in different regions in Sri Lanka. In the simulation modelling exercise, APSIM-Oryza (rice), APSIM-maize and APSIM-mungbean modules were parameterised and validated for varieties grown widely in Sri Lanka. Moreover, crop productivities and supplementary irrigation requirement were tested under two management scenarios i.e. Scenario 1: irrigate when plant available water content in soil fell below 25% of maximum, and Scenario 2: irrigate at 7-day intervals (current farmer practice). The parameterised, calibrated and validated model estimated the irrigation water requirement (number of pairs of observations (n) = 14, R2 > 0.9, RMSE = 66 mm season-1 ha-1), and grain yield of maize (n = 37, R2 > 0.95, RMSE = 353 kg ha-1) and mungbean (n = 26, R2 > 0.98, RMSE = 75 kg ha-1) with a strong fit in comparison with observed data, across years, cultivating seasons, regions, management conditions and varieties. Simulated water requirement during the cropping season reduced in the order of rice (1180–1520 mm) > maize and mungbean intercrop = maize sole crop (637–672 mm) > mungbean sole crop (345 mm). The water productivity of the system (crop yield per unit water) could be increased by over 65% when maize or mungbean extent was increased. The most efficient crop combinations to maximise net return were diversification of the land extent as (i) 50% to rice and 50% to mungbean sole crops, or (ii) 25%, 25% and 50% to rice, maize and mungbean sole crops, respectively. Under situations where water availability is inadequate for rice, land extent could be cultivated to 50% maize and 50% mungbean as sole crops to ensure the maximum net return per unit irrigation water (115 Sri Lankan Rupees ha-1 mm-1). Regions with high rainfall during the preceding rice cultivating season are expected to have minimum risk when incorporating a third season mungbean crop. Moisture loss through evapotranspiration from the third season mungbean crop was similar to that of a fallowed site with weeds.
10 Kashyap, D.; Agarwal, T. 2021. Carbon footprint and water footprint of rice and wheat production in Punjab, India. Agricultural Systems, 186:102959. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102959]
Carbon footprint ; Water footprint ; Crop production ; Rice ; Wheat ; Irrigated farming ; Crop residues ; Nitrogen fertilizers ; Policies ; Assessment ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Mitigation ; Water use ; Groundwater irrigation ; Agroclimatic zones ; Models ; Farm surveys / India / Punjab
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050133)
(1.80 MB)
Carbon footprint and water footprint assessments can be powerful tools to guide sustainable food production systems. The present study simultaneously quantified the carbon footprint (CF) and water footprint (WF) of rice and wheat production in the five agro-climatic zones of Punjab, India using farm survey data. Further, the variability in CF among the five agro-climatic zones and farm sizes was analysed. The carbon footprint per unit area of rice and wheat was found to be 8.80 ± 5.71 and 4.18 ± 1.13 t CO2eq/ha respectively. The CF per tonne of rice and wheat was 1.20 ± 0.70 and 0.83 ± 0.23 t CO2eq/t respectively. Large farms had 39% lower CF per tonne of rice compared to small farms. Residue burning, direct methane emissions and fertilizer use were the most important factors that contributed to the CF of rice and wheat production in Punjab. Nitrogen fertilizer use was identified as the major hotspot for mitigation. The average WF of rice and wheat was found to be 1097 and 871 m3/t respectively. A disparity between CROPWAT estimates of blue WF and actual blue water use was established indicating the need for actual blue WF accounting, particularly for flood irrigated crop production. Additionally, policy measures based on ground situation are discussed and the major role of local government policies in mitigating carbon and water footprint is highlighted.
11 Wing, I. S.; Cian, E. D.; Mistry, M. N. 2021. Global vulnerability of crop yields to climate change. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 109:102462. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102462]
Climate change ; Crop yield ; Vulnerability ; Adaptation ; Agroclimatic zones ; Precipitation ; Temperature ; Soybeans ; Maize ; Rice ; Spring wheat ; Winter wheat ; Econometric models / Americas / Africa / Asia / Europe / USA
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050417)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0095069621000450/pdfft?md5=0cd5f414756599786b1b755546364e16&pid=1-s2.0-S0095069621000450-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050417.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050417.pdf
(5.21 MB) (5.21 MB)
Using a newly-available panel dataset of gridded annual crop yields in conjunction with a dynamic econometric model that distinguishes between farmers' short-run and long-run responses to weather shocks and accounts for adaptation, we investigate the risk to global crop yields from climate warming. Over broad spatial domains we observe only slight moderation of short-run impacts by farmers' long-run adjustments. In the absence of additional margins of adaptation beyond those pursued historically, projections constructed using an ensemble of 21 climate model simulations suggest that the climate change could reduce global crop yields by 3–12% by mid-century and 11–25% by century's end, under a vigorous warming scenario.
12 Qiu, Y.; Feng, J.; Yan, Z.; Wang, J. 2022. High-resolution projection dataset of agroclimatic indicators over Central Asia. Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, 39(10):1734-1745. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-022-2008-3]
Agroclimatic zones ; Forecasting ; Datasets ; Indicators ; Climate models ; Agriculture ; Precipitation ; Cotton ; Wheat / Central Asia / Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan / Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051323)
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00376-022-2008-3.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051323.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051323.pdf
(3.50 MB) (3.50 MB)
To understand the potential impacts of projected climate change on the vulnerable agriculture in Central Asia (CA), six agroclimatic indicators are calculated based on the 9-km-resolution dynamical downscaled results of three different global climate models from Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), and their changes in the near-term future (2031–50) are assessed relative to the reference period (1986–2005). The quantile mapping (QM) method is applied to correct the model data before calculating the indicators. Results show the QM method largely reduces the biases in all the indicators. Growing season length (GSL, day), summer days (SU, day), warm spell duration index (WSDI, day), and tropical nights (TR, day) are projected to significantly increase over CA, and frost days (FD, day) are projected to decrease. However, changes in biologically effective degree days (BEDD, °C) are spatially heterogeneous. The high-resolution projection dataset of agroclimatic indicators over CA can serve as a scientific basis for assessing the future risks to local agriculture from climate change and will be beneficial in planning adaption and mitigation actions for food security in this region.
13 Kaur, L.; Rishi, M. S.; Chaudhary, B. S. 2022. Assessment of meteorological and agricultural droughts using remote sensing and their impact on groundwater in an agriculturally productive part of Northwest India. Agricultural Water Management, 274:107956. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107956]
Drought ; Assessment ; Remote sensing ; Agroclimatic zones ; Precipitation ; Groundwater table ; Food security ; Soil moisture ; Vegetation index ; Moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer / India / Punjab / Haryana
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051524)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377422005030/pdfft?md5=bb7689c524d0f58673cd8a067cf77408&pid=1-s2.0-S0378377422005030-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051524.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051524.pdf
(30.60 MB) (30.6 MB)
Wheat is an important component of global food security, and Punjab and Haryana are the major wheat-growing areas in Northwest India, but climate change has increased the frequency of droughts in this region. Timely, precise, and effective drought monitoring is critical to ensure food security. In the present study, meteorological and agricultural droughts were assessed using standard precipitation index (SPI) and remote sensing-based indices, namely vegetation health index (VHI) and normalized vegetation supply water index (NVSWI) during the Rabi season (wheat growing season) in three different agroclimatic zones (ACZs i.e., ACZ I: Hot arid agro-climatic zone, ACZ II: Semi-arid agro-climatic zone, and ACZ III: Hot sub-humid agro-climatic zone) of Punjab and Haryana. Furthermore, correlations between NVSWI, VHI, SPI, and gross primary productivity (GPP) were investigated, as well as trend analysis of NVSWI and groundwater level to better understand their interrelationships and the impact of agricultural droughts on groundwater level. The results of SPI indicated that ACZ III witnessed more drought episodes than ACZ I and II. The driest years in ACZ I, ACZ II, and ACZ III were 2002–03, 2014–15, and 2016–17, respectively, while the year 2018–19 was observed as normal in all the ACZs. A significant high correlation was observed between the NVSWI and VHI and the NVSWI and GPP in all three ACZs, while SPI did not exhibit a significant correlation with the NVSWI in ACZ II and III. The Mann-Kendall Test and Sen’s slope indicated a declining groundwater trend in all the ACZs and an increasing trend in NVSWI values. The results underline the robustness of SPI and NVSWI in drought monitoring in semi-arid and arid zones of northwest India. Rainfall variability and increased groundwater use for irrigation practices in semi-arid and hot sub-humid areas are leading to groundwater decline.
14 Wickramasinghe, M. R. C. P.; Dayawansa, N. D. K.; Jayasiri, M. M. J. G. C. N.; De Silva, R. P. 2023. A study on external pressures of an ancient irrigation cascade system in Sri Lanka. Agricultural Systems, 205:103593. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103593]
Irrigation ; History ; Villages ; Tanks ; Systems ; Water quality ; Agrochemicals ; Runoff ; Land use change ; Climate variability ; Population growth ; Intensification ; Farming systems ; Water management ; Arid zones ; Agroclimatic zones ; Precipitation ; Water availability ; Sustainability ; Fertilizers ; Salinity ; Soil erosion ; Forest cover ; Water management / Sri Lanka / Anuradhapura / Maha Illuppallama / Mahakanumulla
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051615)
(3.87 MB)
CONTEXT: Village Tank Cascade Systems (VTCSs), which are ancient irrigation systems in Sri Lanka have undergone various pressures over time including climate variability, population growth, land use changes and agricultural intensification. VTCSs have provided irrigation and vital ecosystem services for generations, while facing these pressures. As external pressures have increased drastically over the last century, it is worthwhile to investigate VTCS's current capacity to tolerate pressures exerted on them while sustaining their functions.
OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to (i) assess the pressures exerted on Mahakanumulla VTCS due to climate change, population growth, land use changes and agricultural practices, (ii) evaluate the impacts of the pressures on the system in terms of water quality and quantity.
METHODS: Rainfall data from 1906 to 2020 were analyzed to identify the rainfall trends over the last century. Land use maps were developed for 1910, 1979, 2002 and 2018. To identify current farming practices, a questionnaire survey was carried out targeting 357 respondents followed by field investigations. Environmental impacts due to pressures on the system were evaluated using water quantity estimations and quality tests.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Paddy extent has increased from 6.3% to 20.2% while the homestead extent has increased from 1.6% to 11.5% during the last century. The lands used for sustainable shifting cultivation have encroached with permanent agricultural lands and human settlements. The runoff coefficient rose from 0.29 to 0.45, indicating a high outflow of water during rains and limiting water retention within the system. This is an indication of increasing water scarcity in dry periods due to limited recharge capacity. Although the system continues to function without significant water quality deterioration, agricultural activities can cause threats in the future. Hence, the system needs immediate attention in the context of proper land use planning, farmer awareness and integrated nutrient management at the cascade level to minimize these pressures exerted upon the system.
SIGNIFICANCE: Identifying and quantifying various pressures exerted on VTCSs is the fundamental step in setting management and mitigation plans. Project planners and policymakers need evidence-based information in this regard. Therefore, this study's findings and the research framework that may be extended to other VTCSs and similar systems are significant in creating a favorable policy environment and implementation programmes to reduce the risks the VTCSs are exposed to.
OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to (i) assess the pressures exerted on Mahakanumulla VTCS due to climate change, population growth, land use changes and agricultural practices, (ii) evaluate the impacts of the pressures on the system in terms of water quality and quantity.
METHODS: Rainfall data from 1906 to 2020 were analyzed to identify the rainfall trends over the last century. Land use maps were developed for 1910, 1979, 2002 and 2018. To identify current farming practices, a questionnaire survey was carried out targeting 357 respondents followed by field investigations. Environmental impacts due to pressures on the system were evaluated using water quantity estimations and quality tests.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Paddy extent has increased from 6.3% to 20.2% while the homestead extent has increased from 1.6% to 11.5% during the last century. The lands used for sustainable shifting cultivation have encroached with permanent agricultural lands and human settlements. The runoff coefficient rose from 0.29 to 0.45, indicating a high outflow of water during rains and limiting water retention within the system. This is an indication of increasing water scarcity in dry periods due to limited recharge capacity. Although the system continues to function without significant water quality deterioration, agricultural activities can cause threats in the future. Hence, the system needs immediate attention in the context of proper land use planning, farmer awareness and integrated nutrient management at the cascade level to minimize these pressures exerted upon the system.
SIGNIFICANCE: Identifying and quantifying various pressures exerted on VTCSs is the fundamental step in setting management and mitigation plans. Project planners and policymakers need evidence-based information in this regard. Therefore, this study's findings and the research framework that may be extended to other VTCSs and similar systems are significant in creating a favorable policy environment and implementation programmes to reduce the risks the VTCSs are exposed to.
15 Natarajan, N.; Vasudevan, M.; Raja, S. A.; Mohanpradaap, K.; Sneha, G.; Shanu, S. J. 2023. An assessment methodology for drought severity and vulnerability using precipitation-based indices for the arid, semi-arid and humid districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Water Supply, 23(1):54-79. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2022.415]
Drought ; Vulnerability ; Precipitation ; Humid zones ; Semiarid zones ; Assessment ; Agroclimatic zones ; Climate change ; Risk ; Rain / India / Tamil Nadu / Karur / Cuddalore / Kanyakumari / Coimbatore
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051622)
https://iwaponline.com/ws/article-pdf/23/1/54/1169584/ws023010054.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051622.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051622.pdf
(2.08 MB) (2.08 MB)
As the short- and long-term impacts of climate change are becoming more visible at smaller regional scales, frequent occurrence (absence) of erratic precipitation as well as water scarcity issues can be identified as reliable indicators for predicting meteorological droughts. A supervised declaration of meteorological drought based on available precipitation data requires an understanding of reliability and consistency of drought indices for appropriate severity classification. An attempt has been made in this study to critically evaluate the performance of six popular drought indices namely, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), China Z Index (CZI), Modified China Z Index (MCZI), Deciles Index (DI), Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), and Z-Score Index (ZSI) for four districts in Tamil Nadu falling under arid (Karur), semi-arid (Cuddalore), dry sub-humid (Kanyakumari) and moist sub-humid (Coimbatore) conditions based on 120 years of precipitation records. Results showed that the SPI and CZI provided similar quantification of drought events (about 18% of the total months) irrespective of their climatic considerations while ZSI and RAI resulted in overestimation of drought severity (about 30–47%). Based on the classification strategy adopted for the selected indices, a framework for drought vulnerability assessment is proposed in conjunction with the estimated drought severity classifications.
16 Sanga, U.; Koli, U. 2023. Mental models of sustainable groundwater management among farmers in semi-arid regions of Maharashtra, India. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 21:100904. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2023.100904]
Sustainability ; Groundwater management ; Farmers ; Models ; Agroclimatic zones ; Semiarid zones ; Water scarcity ; Droughts ; Groundwater extraction ; Conflicts ; Water supply ; Water conservation ; Trickle irrigation ; Non-governmental organizations ; Water policies / India / Maharashtra
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051691)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352801X23000048/pdfft?md5=5f431b6d091599e5d20007197eca0583&pid=1-s2.0-S2352801X23000048-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051691.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051691.pdf
(6.00 MB) (6.00 MB)
Mental models are the dynamic, internal cognitive representations of people's interaction with the world. Such models can be used to gain insights into how humans structure their beliefs and actions about environmental issues. This research paper aims to understand the mental models of sustainable groundwater management among farmers in semi-arid regions of Maharashtra, India. Using a mixed method approach of qualitative interviews and systems mapping, we assess how past experiences with drought and water scarcity have influenced farmers' beliefs, perceptions, and actions and develop mental models that highlight the dynamic processes that guide farmer actions regarding groundwater use and management. We identify policy triggers that can nudge farmers toward sustainable groundwater management in the future. Our results reveal three key insights: i) Farmers who experience higher water scarcity have a higher desire for groundwater conservation and higher consciousness towards future groundwater sustainability, ii) Farmers' actions towards either increased groundwater extraction or conservation are shaped by complex social, environmental, and institutional dynamics rather than self-interested individual will, and iii) Supply-driven water policies and initiatives can lead to maladaptive outcomes such as an increase in groundwater extraction in the long run. Current water policies need a transformative shift from focusing on short-term groundwater supply to those that facilitate long-term sustainable groundwater management by influencing the norms, values, and behavior toward groundwater conservation. Future interventions that allow and encourage collective mobilization, enhanced ownership and participation, adequate training, financial resources, and decentralized management structures with enhanced accountability are likely to be more effective in developing long-term solutions for sustainable groundwater management.
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