Indian Farming 67(07): 21–23; July 2017

Micro-irrigation in India
– present status and future prospects
D. S. Gurjar1, U. M. Khodke2 and Ravinder Kaur3
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012

Agriculture is the major consumer of fresh water resources at national and global level. Owing to
rapid growth of population, urbanization, industrialization and economic development, a major
portion of fresh water is being diverted to the non-agriculture sectors such as domestic, commercial
and industrial. The demand of fresh water for agriculture is increasing and availability is
decreasing with accelerating speed. Moreover, the development of new water resources are
associated with high economic and environmental costs and pose limits to supply expansion.
Therefore, it is an urgent need to utilize the available fresh water for irrigation in a very efficient
and sustainable manner.

Key words: Drip irrigation, Gravity fed drip system, Micro-jets, Rain guns, Sprinkler irrigation system

A bumper crop of cotton munggram under Cotton crop with drip irrigation Drip in orchard
drip irrigation

M ICRO-IRRIGATION is a
wonderful technology which
has great potential to achieve higher
affecting the crop yields. Hence,
efficient water management in
agriculture is the major challenge to
a, focused manner and concentrating
on source creation, distribution,
management, field application and
cropping and irrigation intensity with ensure sustainable food production in extension activities in the area of
a significant impact on resource India. Therefore, the use of non - agricultural water management.
saving, cultivation cost, crop yield conventional or modern methods of
and farm productivity. Therefore, this irrigation in agriculture is the need of Micro-irrigation
technology has received considerable the present hour for enhancing the Micro-irrigation systems include
attention from policy makers and crop and water productivity without drip irrigation (both on-line and in-
Government for its perceived ability any detrimental impact on line systems), sprinkler irrigation
to contribute significantly towards environment. The Government of system, micro-sprinklers, micro-jets,
agricultural productivity and India has given a special importance rain guns, gravity fed drip system and
economic growth. In India, major to micro-irrigation in Hon’ble Prime semi-permanent sprinkler system.
part of the irrigated area is under Minister’s flagship scheme ‘Pradhan Micro-irrigation has several
conventional irrigation systems which Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana’ which advantages when compared with
has not only poor water use efficiency has been launched with the aim of conventional irrigation methods such
but has also resulted in environmental extending irrigation cover-‘Har Khet as water and fertilizer saving, high
problems like water-logging and soil ko Pani’- and improving water use water and fertilizer use efficiency,
salinity, and thereby adversely efficiency-‘Per Drop, More Crop’- in permit use of poor quality water,

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July 2017
reduced weed growth, less problem of followed by Andhra Pradesh (0.36 m level as well, this lack of focus
pest and diseases, less labour demand ha), Karnataka (0.18 m ha), Gujarat permeates, which has resulted in only
and increased crop yield. Besides (0.17 m ha) and Tamil Nadu (0.13 m a few states having a dedicated team
these, it has also some limitation such ha). (Table 1). The present figures for micro-irrigation. This has
as high initial cost of installation, thus reflect the extent of micro- contributed to the deceleration of
requires clean water, needs of skilled irrigation systems covered under growth of
personnel for design, installation and different government programmes as micro-irrigation penetration in the
maintenance, clogging of emitters well as own investment by the country. Although some states have
and electricity or power requirement farmers. However, the actual area implemented successful models using
for operation. under micro-irrigation may vary exclusive and dedicated teams for
according to the extent of use by the micro-irrigation.
Potential and present status of micro- farmers. Lack of dedicated team and IT-
irrigation in India backed operations: The entire process,
The share of India in total Constraints in implementation of micro- from application to installation and
irrigated area is 8.1% whereas highest irrigation in India payment, cannot be tracked on-line in
is 77.0% in South Africa. The Under this central government a majority of states. In most cases,
potential and actual area under programme, ground reality shows a only a part, if any, of the process can
micro-irrigation in different states of different picture which has led to be tracked, this makes monitoring the
our country (in case of drip and lower adoption rates. It showed that transactions and ensuring efficiency
sprinkler system) was assessed using there may be some impediment or in the process a nearly impossible
the state-wise secondary data. There constrains or challenges for up- task. There is a lack of usage of
is the potential of bringing around scaling or proper implementation of systems such as geo-tagging and
42.2 million ha under drip and micro-irrigation scheme in India. referencing, which allow real-time
sprinkler irrigation in the country. Lack of focus on micro-irrigation: monitoring of projects.The Gujarat,
Out of this, about 30.5 million ha are There is a lack of focus at a central Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra are
suitable for sprinkler irrigation for level on micro-irrigation, previously considered to be select examples in
cereals, pulses and oilseeds a part seen during the years of the National promoting micro-irrigation, use such
of fodder crops. This is followed by Mission on Micro-Irrigation systems, which enable real-time
drip with a potential of 11.7 million (NMMI). Since 2014-15, there has monitoring at the state and central
ha under cotton, sugarcane, fruits been a dilution of focus by level.
and vegetables, spices and subsuming micro-irrigation as a Uncertainty and sporadic changes in
condiments; and some pulse crops component of Mission for scheme guidelines: Delay in release of
like red gram, etc. The maximum Sustainable Agriculture, and Pradhan guidelines/government orders,
actual area under drip irrigation was Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, rather uncertainty and sporadic changes in
found in Maharashtra (0.48 m ha) than a dedicated mission. At the state scheme guidelines is also one of the

Table 1. Potential and actual area under micro-irrigation in different states of India (Area in ‘000 ha)

State Drip Irrigation Sprinkler Irrigation Total

P A % P A % P A %
Andhra Pradesh 730 363.07 49.74 387 200.95 51.93 1,117 564.02 50.49
Bihar 142 0.16 0.11 1,708 0.21 0.01 1,850 0.37 0.02
Chhattisgarh 22 3.65 16.58 189 59.27 31.36 211 62.92 29.82
Goa 10 0.76 7.62 1 0.33 33.20 11 1.09 9.95
Gujarat 1,599 169.69 10.61 1,679 136.28 8.12 3,278 305.97 9.33
Haryana 398 7.14 1.79 1,992 518.37 26.02 2,390 525.50 21.99
Himachal Pradesh 14 0.12 0.83 101 0.58 0.58 115 0.70 0.61
Jharkhand 43 0.13 0.31 114 0.37 0.32 157 0.50 0.32
Karnataka 745 177.33 23.80 697 228.62 32.80 1,442 405.95 28.15
Kerala 179 14.12 7.89 35 2.52 7.19 214 16.64 7.77
Madhya Pradesh 1,376 20.43 1.48 5,015 117.69 2.35 6,391 138.12 2.16
Maharashtra 1,116 482.34 43.22 1,598 214.67 13.43 2,714 697.02 25.68
Nagaland 11 0.00 0.00 42 3.96 9.43 53 3.96 7.48
Odisha 157 3.63 2.31 62 23.47 37.85 219 27.10 12.37
Punjab 559 11.73 2.10 2,819 10.51 0.37 3,378 22.24 0.66
Rajasthan 727 17.00 2.34 4,931 706.81 14.33 5,658 723.82 12.79
Tamil Nadu 544 131.34 24.14 158 27.19 17.21 702 158.52 22.58
Uttar Pradesh 2,207 10.68 0.48 8,582 10.59 0.12 10,789 21.26 0.20
West Bengal 952 0.15 0.02 280 150.03 53.58 1,232 150.18 12.19
Others 128 15.00 11.72 188 30.00 15.96 316 45.00 14.24
Total 11659 1428.4 12.25 30578 2442.4 7.99 42237 3870.8 9.16
P, Potential; A, Actual Area.

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July 2017
 Absence of easy horticultural area, reduction in
financing mechanisms irrigation cost by 20% to 50% with
for farmers: Financing average of 32.3%. Average electricity
for farmers continues consumption has been reduced by
to be a major about 31%, saving of fertilizers with
impediment. Farmers averages reduction of about 28% in
continue to have total fertilizer consumption, average
difficulty finding productivity of fruits and vegetables
financing options and has increased about 42.3% and
even once they do, 52.8%, respectively mainly because of
the collateral is very crop spacing, judicious use of water
high. Finding ways to and other inputs etc., increase in
ensure easier farmers’ income in the range of 20%
Onion with drip financing norms for to 68% with an average increase of
major constraints and also there is farmers should be a priority. There is 48.5% after adoption of micro-
lack of smoother/longer-term precedence for loans to farmers irrigation in India.
guidelines, which causes each scheme without collaterals such as crop loans.
to only be operational for a part of Future prospects
the year (on average five months) Farmers’ suggestions Higher adoption of micro-
and not for 365 days. On an average, The adoption rate of micro- irrigation technologies in India in
it is seen that schemes are only irrigation technologies in India is still near future will further enhance crop
effective for 150 days of the year and lower when compared with the and water productivity so as it will
are not available to the farmers in potential even it has several benefits fulfill future security requirements for
peak demanding months. As a result and wide applicability under different the food, water and nutrition of our
of this, farmers miss the cropping farm holdings. The poor adoption country. It will also widen the food
season and are unable to realize the can be attributed to number of basket of the country with significant
true benefits of installing a micro factors such as high cost, complexity contributions coming from the
irrigation system. of the technology and other socio- bringing more area under irrigation
Scheme implementation and economic issues such as a lack of and with judicious use of water. It
operating process: There are various access to credit facilities, fragmented will also develop new farm practices
inefficiencies in the operating landholdings, localized crop pattern, and innovations with support of
process, especially with regard to the etc. A farmer survey was conducted government have encouraged the
time and length of the process. In to collect the information for farmers to shift toward new crops
some states, the scheme enhancing adoption rate of micro- giving higher income.
implementation and launch process irrigation technology in India. Major
goes through the August and suggestions include provision of SUMMARY
September (even October in some technical support for micro-irrigation Micro-irrigation is a modern
cases), due to which a time lag crops operation after installation, relaxation method of irrigation having a great
up. By this time the main season has of farm size limitation in providing potential to achieve higher cropping
already ended. Hence, farmers are micro-irrigation subsidies, promotion and irrigation intensity with a
unable to draw the optimal benefit of and supply of liquid fertilizers, significant impact on resource saving,
the available technology. Therefore, improved marketing facilities and cultivation cost, crop yied and farm
ensuring timely completion of the access to more credit to expand the productivity. Micro-irrigation has
process (before the beginning of area under micro-irrigation. covered an area of about 4 million
April) is paramount to safeguard the hectares in India and can be extended
interests of the farmers. Impact of micro-irrigation on Indian upto an area of about 42 million
Delays in subsidy disbursement: agriculture and farmers livelihood hectares. Micro-irrgation will
Method of subsidy payment has been An impact evaluation study on certainly develop new farm practices
an impediment in previous schemes National Mission of Micro-irrigation and innovations with support of
and continues to be one now-a-days. (NMMI) in 13 states of India was government have enhanced the
There is also a continued problem conducted by Department of income of famers and ensure the
with unavailability of funds in certain Agricultural and Cooperation, sustainability of agriculture in near
states. This is a result of approving National Committee on future.
installation of equipment when the Plasticulture Applications in
funds for the subsidy aren’t yet Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture
available to the states. This causes a and Farmers Welfare, Government of 1
Scientist, 3Principal Scientist, 2Associate
shortage of funds, which in turn India under PPP mode. The results Dean, Principal College of Agricultural
causes delays in subsidy payments indicated that there were significant Engineering & Technology, VNMKV, Parbhani
431 402. Corresponding author e mail :
and therefore, uncertainty for the results like total 8.4%, increase in [email protected] .
suppliers of micro-irrigation systems. irrigated areas, significant increase in

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Indian Farming
July 2017