A Study on Adoption of Drip Irrigation System in Botad District of Gujarat
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Date
2022
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Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University Bikaner – 334006
Abstract
Water shortage is anticipated to become a problem in the future decades as
the global population grows and the demand for water grows. With a rapidly
growing population and millions of mouths to feed, India's agriculture is under
severe strain. Even after seven decades of independence, India's agriculture
is mostly reliant on monsoons. Farmers in India can play an important role in
reducing water waste by implementing effective irrigation practises. In India, a
considerable share of the population is classified as small or marginal
farmers. All of this paints a bleak picture of India's agricultural future unless
some innovative agricultural practises are used to boost production. Looking
back over the last few decades, the net sown area has risen from 118 million
hectares in 1950-51 to over 141 million hectares in 2017. Since 1970, it hasn't
seen any significant growth. The late-sixties green revolution saved us from
famine and made us self-sufficient in food grains. This was made feasible by
the government's activities, which included the adoption of HYV seeds,
fertilisers, and irrigation expansion. We've increased from roughly 20.85% of
net irrigated area to 49.5 percent (Horticulture Statistic at Glance, 2018). This
advancement does not come without a price. The indiscriminate removal of
water for agriculture has had catastrophic repercussions. The water table has
dropped, and irrigation expansion in dry and semi-arid areas has resulted in
salinity and waterlogging. The problem of expanding agricultural productivity
in light of limited land and finite water resources is enormous. While novel
seed varieties and their ramifications are being researched around the world,
new irrigation strategies are being implemented to improve water efficiency.