By the end of June in the four-month southwest monsoon cycle that ends in September, the country was facing a severe water crisis. This followed heatwave in April and May that led to loss of subsoil moisture, delayed onset and tardy progress of the southwest monsoon and depleted reservoir levels.

 

Everyone blames the El Nino weather phenomenon that reduces rainfall and brings dry conditions that affect the country’s Kharif season planting of key crops like paddy, coarse cereals, pulses, oilseeds and cotton.

 

El Nino may well be the proximate cause of water stress this year, but the country is actually paying a price for its past omissions and commissions. That, as a tropical nation, India was vulnerable to the adverse effects of global warming and climate change, and it would only worsen in the years ahead, has been well recognized for at least two decades now. 

 

Yet, we chose not to heed the warning signs. It is not that the country does not have adequate water resources or infrastructure to handle it. Our natural endowments include long period average rainfall of 870 mm from southwest monsoon, hundreds of rivers that crisscross the country and 7,500 kms of coastline. We have built scores of major and medium reservoirs over time. 

 

Yet, today we are in a situation that simply mirrors what used to be said, perhaps pejoratively, four decades ago: ‘India is just one bad monsoon away from a farm disaster’. Simply put, we took water for granted.

 

India is home to 17% of the world’s population, but has only about 4% of world’s fresh water resources. This is a big mismatch. As the economy grows, so will demand for water – for agriculture, for industrial activity and for household use. We have to find ways to augment water availability.  

 

Our farm policies over the years focused merely on production enhancement without considering the risks associated with climate change. In our country, the farm sector covering field agriculture and animal agriculture (livestock, poultry etc) consumes 80% of fresh water.

 

We incentivize water-heavy crops like paddy and sugarcane that has resulted in excessive use of water (flood irrigation of paddy, for example) and depletion of groundwater levels in many regions. By exporting rice and occasionally sugar, we are actually exporting water indirectly. The argument that export benefits growers is specious because the same growers will suffer when water becomes scarce. 

 

It is a wakeup call for the policymakers. Several simultaneous steps are required for long-term water security. Some key steps include:

1.     Irrigation: Accelerate completion of pending irrigation projects. Scores of irrigation projects face time overruns and cost overruns. Many languish for want of funds, especially for last-mile connectivity. Inter-state water disputes, delayed techno-economic approvals and poor supervision of project implementation are some key challenges.

2.     Climate-resilient crops: Incentivize planting of millets, pulses and oilseeds especially in arid regions. Because of production shortfall, we import massive quantities of pulses and oilseeds (in the form of vegetable oils).

3.     R and D: Invest in developing short-duration, heat-tolerant, drought-resistant varieties of seeds. As seed research is a long-term play, results will be visible in 5 to 7 years. Policymakers have to stay committed to a long-term policy in order to attract private investment in R&D that can supplement public investment.

4.     Precision agriculture: Accelerate water conserving technologies like drip irrigation and sprinklers, especially for horticulture crops.

5.     Ponds: The country has about 600,000 villages and there was a time each village had at least one pond. Even urban areas had ponds. These water sources are fast disappearing or in disuse. There is a dire need to revive, rejuvenate and desilt these water bodies.

6.     Enlist the services of agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras to create renewed awareness and train Farmer Producer Organizations and rural communities in water conservation and scientific water management.

 

Under the Indian Constitution, ‘Water’ is a State subject; yet treat it as a national resource; and every water crisis as a national emergency. It requires enormous ‘political will’ and commitment to address this challenge. It devolves on the Central government to bring all state governments together to ensure the nation’s long-term water security. New Delhi has its task cut out. Don’t let water be the nation’s Waterloo.