Webinar: Reversing groundwater depletion in Northwest India: Insights from agronomic interventions and potential opportunities

You can now read a summary of this webinar and watch the recording here.

NEXUS Gains Talk 25:

Reversing groundwater depletion in Northwest India: Insights from agronomic interventions and potential opportunities

The groundwater table in Northwest India is depleting at a rate of approximately 3 meters per year – largely attributed to irrigation led by intensified paddy cultivation. Adopting sustainable food production practices is a priority for food security and the continued availability of water resources for future generations. One such agronomic intervention is direct-seeded rice (DSR) in which rice seeds are directly sown in the soil, reducing the crop cycle and water needs compared with conventional puddled transplanted rice (PTR). Additional benefits include reduced methane emissions, lower investment, diminished diseases, and reduced electricity consumption. Crop diversification from rice to other high-value crops can also play a significant role in saving irrigation water without impeding farmers’ incomes.

This webinar presents the findings of research by the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains on farmers’ water application and water productivity under both DSR and PTR across four districts in Haryana, India, as well as a case study on the co-benefits of crop diversification in the region. The results show how water savings can be achieved and can contribute to groundwater rejuvenation.

Speakers

Proloy Deb, Postdoctoral Fellow – Water Management, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Regional Center, Varanasi, India

Swatantra Kumar Dubey, Senior Specialist – Economic Modeling, IRRI South Asia Regional Center, Varanasi, India

Panelists

Dr Meenakshi Sangwan, Agronomist and an Extension Specialist, Agricultural Research Center, Rohtak, Haryana

Dr Sandeep Rawal, Coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Knowledge Network, Yamunanagar, Haryana

Moderator

Matthew McCartney, International Water Management Institute and NEXUS Gains Lead

Background reading

Water productivity in direct seeded rice and puddled transplanted rice: Evidence from farmers’ practices

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Header image: Rice irrigation in India. Photo by Hamish John Appleby/IWMI.