Micro-Irrigation Adoption in India

January 30, 2025

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana was launched to combat the looming water crisis in India. Despite the initiative’s potential, Uttar Pradesh lags in micro-irrigation adoption. This method enhances irrigation efficiency and conserves groundwater. Other states like Karnataka and Maharashtra have made strides. As of August 2024, Karnataka leads with 1.68 million hectares of micro-irrigated land. In contrast, Uttar Pradesh has only four per cent of its farmland employing this technique.

Current Status of Micro-Irrigation in India

Micro-irrigation has gained traction in several states.
Karnataka has achieved 22 per cent of its agricultural land under micro-irrigation.
Maharashtra follows with 11 per cent.
However, Uttar Pradesh remains stagnant, with only two out of 100 farms adopting this method.
Madhya Pradesh and Punjab also show minimal progress.
Rajasthan performs slightly better, with 11 per cent adoption.

Groundwater Extraction and Micro-Irrigation

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are major groundwater extractors. Their slow adoption of micro-irrigation is concerning. For instance, in Ghaziabad, only four out of 100 farms utilise micro-irrigation. Other districts like Gautam Buddha Nagar and Firozabad have even lower usage rates. This lack of interest poses a risk to sustainable farming practices.

Government Initiatives and Challenges

The Horticulture Department of Uttar Pradesh is promoting micro-irrigation under the ‘Per Drop More Crop‘ scheme. Awareness and technical proficiency among farmers are crucial for widespread adoption. As of November 2024, only 1,500 hectares in Saharanpur have micro-irrigation systems. The department aims to cover 1,840 hectares this financial year.

Potential of Millets

Shifting from water-intensive crops like rice to millets could conserve groundwater. Growing 1 kg of rice requires 649 litres of water, whereas millets need just five. If farmers convert 10 per cent of irrigated rice fields to millets, Uttar Pradesh could save 993 million cubic metres of groundwater. This shift could address domestic water needs in Lucknow for over 75 years.

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