Irrigation

Featured Articles
August 10, 2022 The irrigation at all costs mindset and narrow policies for drought protection during the colonial rule ignored rainfed agriculture and local practices that sustained agriculture in the Bombay Deccan. This continues even today.
Recurrent droughts and the struggle for survival (Image Source: Gaurav Bhosale via Wikimedia Commons):
August 9, 2022 Ensuring irrigation through farm ponds in tribal Chhattisgarh
Many tribal farmers opted for individual farm ponds under MGNREGA ensuring protective irrigation. (Image: Meenakshi Singh)
April 8, 2022 Lack of governance and six toothless irrigation acts have done very little to change the water situation on the ground in Maharashtra, argues water expert Pradeep Purandare.
Peanut irrigation in India (Image Source: Seratobikiba via Wikimedia Commons)
March 11, 2022 Subsidies enable tribal farmers to adopt micro-irrigation systems providing them assured irrigation
A key mitigation strategy to deal with water scarcity due to climate change is on-farm management of water using techniques like micro-irrigation (Image: India Water Portal Flickr)
September 17, 2021 Benefits of well-managed commons on livelihoods
Collective efforts revived the canal structure of Bichhiya dam bringing water to the village (Image: Foundation for Ecological Security)
August 29, 2021 Experience of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) in revitalizing the traditional phad irrigation system in hilly tribal villages of Western Madhya Pradesh
Community members contribute voluntary labour required for laying the pipeline network and tank construction (Image: Anjali Aggarwal)
Adapting to climate change - Conserving rice biodiversity of the Apatani tribe in North East India - An IGREC working paper
This working paper published by the Institute of Green Economy (IGREC) describes the traditional rice growing practices of the Apatani tribes in Arunachal Pradesh. Posted on 15 Feb, 2012 11:47 PM

It also deals with the threat to the biodiversity in the area due to climate changes and argues for the need to devise adaptation strategies at an urgent level to preserve the unique genetic variability of the region and the indigenous knowledge of farming practices in the area.

Adaptation to climate change with a focus on rural areas and India - A document by GTZ (India)
This document is an outcome of ongoing project by GTZ and MoEF to devise ways of dealing with the inevitable impacts of climate change. Posted on 15 Feb, 2012 01:59 PM

It aims to strengthen the capacities of rural communities in India to live with climate variability and change. The work includes supporting governments of four partner states of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, local communities and other relevant stakeholders in identifying, developing and carrying out adaptation measures in pilot regions.

"Bottle it up: We can use it" - Scientific studies on human urine - A presentation by Arghyam
This presentation deals with the issue of reuse of human urine in agriculture. Posted on 10 Feb, 2012 11:13 AM

This presentation by Arghyam includes the results of doctoral study done by G Sridevi under the guidance of Prof.

Lift irrigation - Methods and practices: A manual by Mihir Maitra (AFPRO)
This book was published by AFPRO in order to provide guidance to technical staff members of grassroots organisations working in rural development, particularly in the field of agriculture. Posted on 09 Feb, 2012 12:07 PM

Accordingly, the book is written as a technical manual that remains accessible to people seeking to gain necessary expertise in the planning, design, installation and maintenance of lift irrigation systems (LIS). Cover page of Lift irrigation: methods and practices

Nutrient-based fertiliser subsidy: Will farmers adopt agricultural best management practices? An article in EPW
The new nutrient-based fertiliser subsidy policy provides implicit incentives to farmers to test soil samples regularly and get crop-wise recommended doses of nutrients. Posted on 06 Feb, 2012 11:58 AM

It offers prospective benefits from the agro-environmental management point of view.

Alternative National Water Policy: Ramaswamy Iyer's response to comments by Rahul Banerjee and Chetan Pandit in EPW
Ramaswamy Iyer responds to comments in EPW by Rahul Banerjee and Chetan Pandit on his alternative National Water Policy Posted on 04 Feb, 2012 06:44 PM

Guest post: Ramaswamy R Iyer

This is in response to the comments made by Rahul Banerjee (“National Water Policy”, 13 August 2011) and Chetan Pandit (“Alternative National Water Policy: A Critique”, 10 September 2011) on my article “National Water Policy: An Alternative Draft for Consideration” (25 June 2011).

Epigrammatic Style

Planning as commoning - Transformation of a Bangalore lake - Paper published in the EPW
This paper in EPW deals with the transformation of a lake in Bangalore. Posted on 02 Feb, 2012 11:30 AM

This paper published in the Economic and Political Weekly argues that the transformation of human settlements over time can affect the relationship between communities and commons when, for example, social geographies change from rural to urban, or from traditional systems of management to modern bureaucratic systems.

Tank irrigation in Karnataka: A historical survey
Tank irrigation in Karnataka, authored by GS Dikshit, GR Kuppuswamy, SK Mohan, and first published in 1993, provides a historical overview of this ancient method of water management. Posted on 24 Jan, 2012 06:12 AM

The book covers entire eras from the ancient to the current period. It also gives information about the structural, financial and institutional aspects of tank construction and management.

The full book is available for download on the India Water Portal. Please right-click on the cover page image of the book, and select 'Save link as', to download the full book.

Right-click this image, and select 'Save link as', to download the full book - Tank irrigation in Karnataka - A historical survey

Changing currents: Plumbing the rights: A film highlighting water as a common good
Changing currents: Plumbing the rights ia a film that highlights water as a common good. Posted on 10 Jan, 2012 08:55 PM

Source: Culture Unplugged

Democratisation of water management - The experience of Tamil Nadu with governance reforms
The authors argue that the solutions to the global water crisis do not lie in investing more and more money into the water sector or in the introduction of better technology. Posted on 09 Jan, 2012 12:18 PM

Nor is the introduction of the private sector and the reduction in the role of the government going to help. Rather, the time has come to introduce changes at the basic or the fundamental level in the way in which the water sector functions.

There is an urgent need to bring about reforms in governance by moving towards decentralisation and democratisation, leading to  involvement of people from all the sections of the society, who know and understand that they are responsible for the system and its functioning, as well as by introducing principles of equity and social justice. The papers demonstrate the successful implementation of this approach by describing the experience of Tamil Nadu at democratising water management through introduction of reforms at the level of governance, through involvement of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD).

×