Thanks a lot for your thoughtful comments. I share your concern.
Government of Gujarat has made significant investments into recharging aquifers. It has promoted local water harvesting (e.g., in Saurashtra) and is also trying to recharge aquifers through inter-basin transfer of water and inter-linking of rivers. Recharging, however, will not bring sustainability unless farmers start using less water in agriculture. The balance would still be negative in water-scarce areas like Gujarat.
Policies in Gujarat, and elsewhere, do not promote water efficiency. Free electricity for irrigation is the biggest example of unsustainable policies.
Weaning farmers away from flood irrigation in water scarce areas is a challenge for our times whose solution is yet to be found. If there is a solution or a toolkit, it is yet to be mainstreamed.
Dear Suresh,
Thanks a lot for your thoughtful comments. I share your concern.
Government of Gujarat has made significant investments into recharging aquifers. It has promoted local water harvesting (e.g., in Saurashtra) and is also trying to recharge aquifers through inter-basin transfer of water and inter-linking of rivers. Recharging, however, will not bring sustainability unless farmers start using less water in agriculture. The balance would still be negative in water-scarce areas like Gujarat.
Policies in Gujarat, and elsewhere, do not promote water efficiency. Free electricity for irrigation is the biggest example of unsustainable policies.
Weaning farmers away from flood irrigation in water scarce areas is a challenge for our times whose solution is yet to be found. If there is a solution or a toolkit, it is yet to be mainstreamed.