Current Science

N. S. Abeysingha ¹, Man Singh ¹, V. K. Sehgal ², Manoj Khanna ¹, Himanshu Pathak ³, Priyantha Jayakody ⁴, Raghavan Srinivasan ⁵

Affiliations
1 Water Technology Center, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 Division of Agricultural Physics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
3 Division of Environmental Science, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
4 Allegro Recruitment Consulting, Melbourne, Victoria, AU
5 Spatial Sciences Lab, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, US

Abstract

Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to assess the water yield and evapotranspiration for the Gomti River basin, India for over a period of 25 years (1985-2010). Streamflow calibration and validation of results showed satisfactory performance (NSE: 0.68-0.51; RSR: 0.56-0.68; |PBIAS|: 2.5-24.3) of the model. The water yield was higher in the midstream sub-basins compared to upstream and downstream sub-basins whereas evapotranspiration per unit area decreased from upstream to the downstream. Both evapotranspiration and water yield at upstream and midstream sub-basins increased from 1985 to 2010, whereas water yield at downstream decreased from 1985 to 2010. We found that the spatial and temporal patterns of evapotranspiration and water yield were closely linked to climatic conditions and irrigation in the basin. The long-term trends in water yield point to a drying tendency of downstream sub-basin covering the districts of Jaunpur and Varanasi.

Keywords

Irrigation, Rainfall, Modelling, Streamflow, Water Use.

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S. Naresh Kumar ¹, Anuja ¹, Md. Rashid ¹, S. K. Bandyopadhyay ¹, Rabindra Padaria ², Manoj Khanna ³

Affiliations
1 Centre for Environment and Climate Resilient Agriculture, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
2 Divison of Agricultural Extension, Water Technology Centre, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN
3 Water Technology Centre, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, IN

Abstract

Adaptation strategies that can minimize the negative effects of climatic risk were implemented in over 2000 farms in 12 villages of Mewat district in Haryana, India. Detailed household (HH) level data from 120 farm families for two periods (prior to intervention and end of project period) indicated: (i) agricultural profit of adapted farmers was more than that of non-adapted farmers in all strata according to the difference in difference model; (ii) non-adapted farmers in <4 acre groups have to either alter the existing agricultural practices to reduce management cost and increase profit or incur additional cost for adaptation; (iii) large farmers may have to rationalize their management investments for gaining more profits; (iv) the profit is not directly proportional to the cost of adaptation, if any, among different strata of farmers; (v) agricultural income alone cannot sustain small and marginal farm (<4 acre) families, however with adaptation a self-sustaining agriculture could be achieved; (vi) suitable adaptation can reduce the cost of farm operations, and increase agricultural profits as well as adaptive capacity to climatic risks; (vii) additional cost is not always required for adaptation, and rationalizing agricultural expenditure is essential to adapt to climatic risks. At community level differential costs of adaptation and profits are likely. Policies for incentivizing these 'responsive adaptation' costs for small and marginal farmers would be required. However, investments may be required for establishing permanent agricultural-infrastructure for managing water and agricultural produce in order to sustain agricultural profitability.

Keywords

Adaptation Cost, Agricultural Profit, Climate Change, Farm Family, Land Holding.

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