Water_Management

Water is crucial for agriculture in India, which is a major source of livelihood, GDP, and employment. However, there are challenges in managing water resources due to variations in rainfall and distribution. Only a portion of the available water is usable, and the demand for water is expected to increase due to population growth and economic development. Agriculture consumes the majority of water, but with competing demands from other sectors, the available water for agriculture will decrease. It is important to use water wisely and efficiently. Water is an important natural resource for increasing agricultural production. Agriculture remains the primary livelihood for a significant portion of India's population, contributing substantially to GDP and employment. With over 60% of cultivated land relying on irrigation, water is indispensable for sustaining crop production and ensuring food security. India's diverse agro-climatic zones and river basins offer a range of water resources from perennial rivers to groundwater aquifers and each facing unique management challenges. On an average, India receives annual precipitation of about 4000 cubic kilometers. However, there exist considerable spatial and temporal variations in the distribution of rainfall and hence the availability of water in time and space across the country also varies. It is estimated that out of the 4000 cubic kilometers of water, only 1869 cubic kilometers is available as annual potential flow in rivers as a water resource and out of this total available water resource also only 1123 cubic kilometers is utilizable. The water demand in the year 2000 was hardly 634 cubic kilometers and it is likely to increase to 1093 cubic kilometers by the year 2025. Due to the rapid rise in population and growing economy of the country, there will be continuous increase in demand for water and it will become scarce definitely in the coming decades. According to Ministry of Jal Shakti, agriculture accounts for approximately 80% of India's total water consumption, highlighting its central role in water demand. With the competing demand from the other sectors like industry, urbanization and domestic, the share of water available for agriculture is going to decrease in the coming years which is emphasizing the need for judicious and effective use of water.