Water management is a key challenge for Indian agriculture, which consumes about 78% of the freshwater resources and faces the risk of groundwater depletion, droughts, and salinity. To address this challenge, farmers can buy quality agricultural products and organic seeds online in India at ecommerce agriculture marketplace such as BadiKheti, and opt for sustainable agritech solutions to reduce water loss. Using quality products and proper agricultural technologies, they can increase water use efficiency and reuse marginal waters for irrigation.
Agritech solutions being developed or adopted by farmers in India help them assure the quality of products without worrying much about any natural scarcity or day-to-day hurdles.
Here are a few common techniques practiced in Indian agriculture:
Indian Agriculture Techniques for Water Management
Sprinkler and drip irrigation systems
These systems deliver water directly to the plant roots, avoiding evaporation and runoff losses. They also save energy and fertilizer costs by applying them along with water. According to some estimates, these systems can save up to 50% of water compared to conventional methods.
Soil water retention solutions
These solutions aim to improve the water-holding capacity of the soil by adding organic matter, biochar, hydrogels, or other amendments. These solutions can enhance soil health, crop yield, and resilience to drought and climate change.
Marginal water reuse solutions
These solutions involve using saline water, wastewater, or runoff water for irrigation after treating them with appropriate technologies such as reverse osmosis, membrane filtration, or solar distillation. Such solutions can help Indian farmers conserve freshwater resources and prevent pollution of surface and groundwater bodies.
These are some examples of sustainable Agritech solutions for water management in Indian agriculture that can help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ensure food security for the growing population.
Why is water management crucial in Indian agriculture?
Water Management in Indian Agriculture is important because it affects the productivity, sustainability, and equity of the agricultural sector. Water is a critical resource for agriculture, but it still requires optimum management in India, despite the country being an agricultural powerhouse.
Some of the issues related to water management in Indian agriculture are:
- Inefficient and inequitable use of water resources, leading to wastage, overexploitation, and environmental degradation.
- Lack of adequate and reliable irrigation infrastructure, especially in rainfed and dry areas, where most of the poor farmers reside.
- Institutional, structural, and administrative problems that hinder effective water governance and regulation.
- Climate change impacts increase water scarcity and variability, and pose risks to food security and livelihoods.
To address these issues, some of the strategies and arrangements that can be adopted in Indian agricultural practice are:
- Promoting water conservation and efficiency measures, such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting, crop diversification, and precision farming.
- Enhancing public investment and private participation in irrigation development and maintenance, with a focus on participatory and demand-driven approaches.
- Reforming water policies and institutions to ensure flexibility, transparency, accountability, and stakeholder involvement.
- Strengthening water data and information systems to support evidence-based decision-making and planning.
- Building resilience and adaptation capacity of farmers and communities to cope with climate change impacts on water resources.
Agritech solutions for water management in India
Some of the best Indian agricultural practices using agritech include:
Smart irrigation systems
Smart irrigation systems for Water Management in Indian Agriculture are systems that use sensors, wireless networks, and automation to optimize the use of water resources in farming. These systems can monitor and control various parameters of soil, such as moisture, temperature, and humidity, as well as the water level of the water tank.
By using smart irrigation systems, farmers can improve crop productivity, save water, and reduce costs. Such systems can also be applied to greenhouse farming, where the environmental conditions can be regulated more precisely. Smart irrigation systems are an example of how the Internet of Things (IoT) can transform agriculture and make it more efficient and sustainable.
Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is a method of delivering water straight onto the plant roots, reducing water loss because of evaporation and runoff. Agritech is the application of technology to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Drip irrigation through Agritech can help address the challenges of water management in Indian agriculture, such as water scarcity, climate change, and soil degradation. By using sensors, controllers, and smart devices, farmers can monitor and control the amount and timing of water delivery to their crops, optimizing water use efficiency and crop yield.
Hydroponics and aeroponics
Hydroponics and aeroponics are agrotech methods that can improve water management of agriculture in India. Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in nutrient-rich water without soil, while aeroponics is the cultivation of plants in mist or air without soil or water. Both methods can save up to 90% of water compared to conventional farming, as well as reduce the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and land.
These two Agritech methods can also increase crop yield and quality, and enable year-round production in urban and indoor spaces. Such techniques help address the challenges of water scarcity, climate change, and food security in India.
Rainwater harvesting
Rainwater harvesting Agritech is a technique of collecting and storing rainwater for irrigation and other agricultural purposes. It can help farmers in India to cope with water scarcity and drought, improve soil quality and crop productivity, and reduce groundwater depletion and pollution.
Rainwater harvesting in India can be implemented through various methods, such as rooftop catchments, farm ponds, check dams, contour bunds, and percolation tanks. These methods can be integrated with other water management practices, such as drip irrigation, mulching, and crop rotation, to optimize water use efficiency and sustainability in Indian agriculture.
Crop insurance
Crop insurance technology for Indian agriculture water management is a topic that has gained importance in recent years, as the country faces the challenges of climate change, water scarcity, and farmers’ distress.
One of the policy measures that the Indian government has taken to address these issues is the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which is a crop insurance scheme that brings in several stakeholders on a single platform. The scheme purposes to deliver financial support to Indian farmers in case of crop failure due to natural disasters, plant or tree diseases, and pests.
Additionally, the scheme also encourages farmers in India to adopt modern agricultural practices and technologies, such as precision irrigation, micro-irrigation, and soil testing in order to improve water use efficiency and crop productivity. Crop insurance technology for water management in agriculture can help reduce the risks and uncertainties faced by farmers in India and also contribute to the sustainable development of the sector.
Save water, gain profit
Water management in Indian agriculture is a key factor in achieving food security, poverty reduction, and environmental sustainability in the country; nevertheless, it requires the smart use of agritech with a holistic and integrated approach by keeping the socioeconomic and ecological dimensions of water use and management in mind.
