Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Historical Development of Irrigated Agriculture under The Malaprabha Project, Karnataka, India


Affiliations
1 Department of Applied Mechanics and Hydraulics, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal 757 025, India
 

The present study analyses the historical development of irrigated agriculture in the command area of the Malaprabha irrigation project located in a semi-arid region of Karnataka, India. Considering the historical period from 1965 to 2014, spatio-temporal changes in irrigated area, cropping patterns, crop and irrigation water requirements using CROPWAT model and sources of irrigation water were characterized relative to the pre-project period at decadal time-step. Overall results indicate an increase in irrigated area, departure from the planned cropping pattern and a shift towards cultivation of water-intensive cash crops, canal releases not conforming to estimated irrigation water requirements and an increase in groundwater-based irrigation in the command area of the project. The findings of this study can be used to formulate more effective management strategies to improve the efficiency of the project and promote sustainable development of natural resources.

Keywords

Command Area, Cropping Patterns, Groundwater, Historical Development, Irrigated Agriculture.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Gross Area Under Irrigation by Crops – All India. Statistical Year Book of India 2017, IRRIGATION Chapter, Table-12.2(A); http://mospi.nic.in/statistical-year-book-india/2017/181.

  • CWC, Reservoir level and storage. Bulletin dated 16 April 2015, Central Water Commission, 2015.

  • Dehghanisani, H., Oweis, T. and Qureshi, A. S., Agricultural water use and management in arid and semi-arid areas: current situation and measures for improvement. Ann. Arid. Zone, 2006, 45(3&4), 355–378.

  • Shah, T., Past, present, and the future of canal irrigation in India. India Infrastructure Report, Oxford University Press, 2011, pp. 70–87.

  • Alcon, F., Garcia-Bastida, P. A., Soto-Garcia, M., Martinez Alvarez, V., Martin-Gorriz, B. and Baille, A., Explaining the performance of irrigation communities in a water-scarce region. Irrig. Sci., 2017, 35, 193–203.

  • Al Zayed, I. S., Elagib, N. A., Ribbe, L. and Heinrich, J., Spatiotemporal performance of large-scale Gezira irrigation scheme, Sudan. Agric. Syst., 2015, 133, 131–142.

  • Dejen, Z. A., Hydraulic and operational performance of irrigation schemes in view of water saving and sustainability: sugar estates and community managed schemes. Ethiopia. CRC Press, Balkema, Ethiopia, 2015.

  • Elshaikh, A. E., Jiao, X. and Hong Yang, S., Performance evaluation of irrigation projects: theories, methods, and techniques. Agric. Water Manage., 2018, 203, 87–96; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.02.034et.

  • Kuscu, H., Bölüktepe, F. E. and Demir, A. O., Performance assessment for irrigation water management: a case study in the Karacabey irrigation scheme in Turkey. Afr. J. Agric. Res., 2009, 4(2), 124–132.

  • Rani, S. Y. R., Venkateswarao, B. and Sreekanth, S., Modernization of an existing irrigation project by performance evaluation using performance indicators. Int. J. Math. Eng., 2011, 141, 1273– 1292.

  • Singh, H. P., Sharma, M. R., Hassan, Q. and Ahsan, N., Performance evaluation of irrigation projects – a case study of lift irrigation scheme Sirsa Manjholi in Solan area of Shivalik Himalayas. Asian J. Adv. Basic Sci., 2013, 1(1), 79–86.

  • Bastiaanssen, W. G. M. and Bos, M. G., Irrigation performance indicators based on remotely sensed data: a review of literature. Irrig. Drain. Syst., 1999, 1225, 291–311; https://doi.org/10.1023/A.

  • Thiruvengadachari, S. and Sakthivadivel, R., Satellite remote sensing for assessment of irrigation system performance: a case study in India. IWMI Research Report 009, 1997; https://doi.org/10.3910/2009.017.

  • Srinivasulu, A., Crop water requirements in comparison to actual water applied in some canal commands of Krishna Western Delta. J. Agric. Eng., 2003, 40(4), 43–50.

  • Kadam, U. S., Performance assessment of heterogeneous irrigation schemes in India. Doctoral Thesis, Loughborough University, 2015; https://hdl.handle.net/2134/18589.

  • Chandran, K. M. and Ambili, G. K., Evaluation of minor irrigation schemes using performance indicators: case studies from South India. Sustain. Water Resour. Manage., 2016, 2(4), 431–437; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-016-0074-3.

  • Chandran, K. M., Joseph, E. J. and Sushanth, C. M., Performance evaluation of selected irrigation systems in Kerala state, India. Irrig. Drain., 2016, 65(5), 613–619; https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2012.

  • Chatterjee, S. K., Banerjee, S. and Bose, M., Climate change impact on crop water requirement in Ganga River. In Third International Conference on Biology, Environment and Chemistry (IPCBEE), IACSIT Press, Singapore, 2012, vol. 46.

  • Babu, R. G., Babu, G. R. and Kumar, H. V. H., Estimation of crop water requirement, effective rainfall and irrigation water requirement for vegetable crops using CROPWAT. Int. J. Agric. Eng., 2015, 8(1), 15–20.

  • Gangwar, A., Nayak, T., Singh, R. M. and Singh, A., Estimation of crop water requirement using CROPWAT 8.0 model for Bina Command, Madhya Pradesh. Indian J. Ecol., 2017, 44, 71–76.

  • Surendran, U., Sushanth, C. M., George, Mammen and Joseph, E. J., FAO-CROPWAT model-based estimation of crop water need and appraisal of water resources for sustainable water resource management: pilot study for Kollam district – humid tropical region of Kerala, India. Curr. Sci., 2017, 112, 76–86.

  • Trivedi, A., Pyasi, S. K. and Galkate, R. V., Estimation of evapotranspiration using CROPWAT 8.0 model for Shipra River Basin in Madhya Pradesh, India. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. Appl. Sci., 2018, 7(5), 1248–1259.

  • Verma, R., Gangwar, A., Kumar, M. and Verma, R. K., Study on water requirement of rice using CROPWAT model for Lucknow Division of Uttar Pradesh. J. Agri. Search., 2019, 6(1), 44–49.

  • Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. A., Raes, D. and Smith, M., Crop evapotranspiration, guidelines for computing crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, 1998, p. 293.

  • Madar, Y. M., Regional disparities in the agricultural development in Malaprabha command area. Doctoral thesis, Department of Geography, Karnataka University, Dharwad, 1993; http://hdl.handle.net/10603/107950.

  • Detailed project report of Malaprabha reservoir. Collected manually from MRBC, Division II, Office at Navilutheertha, Belgaum district, Karnataka, 2008, revised version.

  • Command Area Development Authority (CADA) report for Malaprabha and Ghataprabha river basins. Collected manually from CADA Office Belgaum, Karnataka, 2016.

  • Reshmi, T. V., Christiansen, A. B., Badiger, S. and Barton, D. N., Hydrology and water allocation in Malaprabha – Comprehensive database and integrated hydro economic model for selected water services in the Malaprabha river basin. NIVA-SNO Report 5695 2008, 2008.

  • Biswas, D. and Venkatachalam, L., Institutions and their interactions: an economic analysis of irrigation institutions in the Malaprabha dam project area, Karnataka, India. Working Paper 250, The Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, 2010, ISBN 978-81-7791-106-0.

  • Reshmidevi, T. V. and Nagesh Kumar, D., Modelling the impact of extensive irrigation on the groundwater resources. Hydrol. Process., 2014, 28(3), 628–639.

  • Chitragar, S. L., Regional imbalances in agricultural development of Malaprabha river basin: a geographical perspective. Doctoral thesis, Department of Geography, Karnataka University, Dharwad, 2018; http://hdl.handle.net/10603/201564.

  • Thrasher, B., Xiong, J., Wang, W., Melton, F., Michaelis, A. and Nemani, R., Downscaled climate projections suitable for resource management. Eos Trans. Am. Geophys. Union, 2013, 94, 321–323.

  • Jain, S., Salunke, P., Mishra, S. K., Sahany, S. and Choudhary, N., Advantage of NEX-GDDP over CMIP5 and CORDEX data: Indian Summer. Atmos. Res., 2019, 228, 152–160.

  • Kumar, P., Kumar, S., Barat, A., Parth Sarthi, P. and Sinha, A. K., Evaluation of NASA’s NEX-GDDP-simulated summer monsoon rainfall over homogeneous monsoon regions of India. Theor. Appl. Climatol., 2020, 141, 525–536.

  • Smith, M., CROPWAT: a computer program for irrigation planning and management. Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy, 1992.

  • Doorenbos, J. and Pruitt, W. O., Crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No.24, Food and Agricultural Organization, Rome, Italy, 1977.

  • Doorenbos, J. and Kassam, A. H., Yield response to water. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 33, Food and Agricultural Organization, Rome, Italy, 1979.


Abstract Views: 339

PDF Views: 133




  • Historical Development of Irrigated Agriculture under The Malaprabha Project, Karnataka, India

Abstract Views: 339  |  PDF Views: 133

Authors

Usha Aswathaiah
Department of Applied Mechanics and Hydraulics, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal 757 025, India
Lakshman Nandagiri
Department of Applied Mechanics and Hydraulics, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal 757 025, India

Abstract


The present study analyses the historical development of irrigated agriculture in the command area of the Malaprabha irrigation project located in a semi-arid region of Karnataka, India. Considering the historical period from 1965 to 2014, spatio-temporal changes in irrigated area, cropping patterns, crop and irrigation water requirements using CROPWAT model and sources of irrigation water were characterized relative to the pre-project period at decadal time-step. Overall results indicate an increase in irrigated area, departure from the planned cropping pattern and a shift towards cultivation of water-intensive cash crops, canal releases not conforming to estimated irrigation water requirements and an increase in groundwater-based irrigation in the command area of the project. The findings of this study can be used to formulate more effective management strategies to improve the efficiency of the project and promote sustainable development of natural resources.

Keywords


Command Area, Cropping Patterns, Groundwater, Historical Development, Irrigated Agriculture.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv119%2Fi7%2F1149-1158