Posted in Editorial Analysis, GS 2, GS 3, GS 4, Mains C A

Role of Sustainable Water Management in Food Security

 October 16, 2023  Leave a comment

Syllabus
Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation (GS 3)

Source
The Hindu,16/10/2023

Application: Where to place?
When asked about
Link between food security and water management Sustainable Water management in India Challenges for water sustainability Steps to ensure effective water management Govt initiatives to improve water management Water Ethics

Context
The Theme of this year’s World Food Day(October 16) is ”Water is Life, Water is Food’ which underscores the importance of sustainable Water Management.

Content

Sustainable Water Management

  • Sustainable water management is the usage of water in a way that meets current, ecological, social, and economic needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
  • It involves improving the efficiency and productivity of water use, reducing water losses and waste, and promoting water reuse and recycling.
  • It also entails protecting and restoring the natural functions and services of water resources, such as rivers, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers.
  • Availability or a lack of water has become even more critical with increasing climate extremes.Countries face severe challenges such as drought, floods, unseasonal rains and prolonged dry spells.
  • The Government of India has assessed the impact of climate change in 2050 and 2080 using climate projections and crop simulation models. Without adaptation measures, rainfed rice yields in India are projected to reduce by 20% in 2050, and by 47% in 2080 scenarios, while irrigated rice yields are projected to decline by 3.5% in 2050 and 5% in 2080 scenarios.

Role of sustainable water management in ensuring food security

  • Rainfed Agriculture : About 60% of India’s net sown area is rainfed, contributing to 40% of the total food production.Rainfed agriculture depends directly on water availability, and rain and soil moisture variations can severely affect food and nutrition security.
  • Ensuring Food security: Sustainable water management can help in ensuring food security by optimizing the use of water resources, reducing wastage, and ensuring efficient distribution.This can lead to increased agricultural productivity and stability in food production.
  • Realization of Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs):
  • Enhanced Soil Health: Proper water management can lead to enhanced soil health by preventing waterlogging and soil erosion. It can also improve soil fertility by facilitating the proper distribution of nutrients.
  • Climate Change Resilience: Sustainable water management can increase resilience to climate change by ensuring the availability of water during periods of drought and reducing the risk of floods during heavy rainfall.
  • Reduced dependence on Groundwater: According to World Bank Data,More than 60% of irrigated agriculture and 85% of drinking water supplies are dependent on groundwater in India.Sustainable water management can reduce dependence on groundwater, thereby promoting sustainability in food production.
  • Increased Agricultural Productivity: Efficient water management can lead to increased agricultural productivity by ensuring that crops get the right amount of water at the right time. This can lead to improved crop yields and quality.

Challenges to Water Sustainability

  • Over-extraction of Groundwater: Groundwater is being depleted at an alarming rate due to excessive pumping and lack of recharge.This can lead to water scarcity, land subsidence, saltwater intrusion, and reduced base flow of rivers.
  • Water Pollution: The main sources of water pollution are untreated sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and solid waste. These pollutants contaminate surface and groundwater sources, posing health risks to humans and animals, and damaging aquatic ecosystems.
  • Uneven Distribution of Water: India has a high spatial and temporal variability of rainfall, which results in uneven distribution of water resources across regions and seasons.
  • Poor Water Management: India lacks proper water management systems, with inefficient irrigation systems, leaky water supply networks, and insufficient wastewater treatment facilities.
  • Climate Change: Climate change is expected to have adverse impacts on water resources in India, by altering the hydrological cycle and increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Climate change can affect the availability and quality of water resources by changing the patterns of precipitation, evaporation, runoff, and groundwater recharge.
  • Inefficient Agricultural Practices: Agriculture accounts for about 80% of the total water use. Many agricultural practices are unsustainable and inefficient in terms of water use.

Eg: Shift in cropping patterns towards water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane, consume more than 60% of irrigation water.

Steps to Ensure Water Sustainability

  • Sustainable Transformation of Agrifood Systems:This involves transitioning to sustainable farming practices that reduce environmental impact, improve yields, and ensure food security. Adopting organic farming, reducing food waste, and promoting local food systems are examples of sustainable Agrifood Systems.

Eg: Sikkim Organic Mission to  reduce chemical pesticide use and protect water quality.

  • Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices: These are farming techniques designed to improve resilience to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance agricultural productivity. Eg:Precision farming, agroforestry, and conservation agriculture.
  • Climate Financing:Climate finance refers to local, national, or transnational financing drawn from public, private, and alternative sources for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Eg:National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) funds watershed management projects in drought-prone areas.

  • Restoration and Preservation of Soil Health:Proper soil management enhances water retention capacity and reduces runoff.

Eg:Soil Health Card Scheme provides farmers with personalized recommendations for soil health improvement.

  • Water Resource Management:Effective water management involves ensuring the sustainable use of water resources through practices like efficient irrigation, wastewater treatment, and aquifer recharge.
  • Merging Modern Technologies with Indigenous Knowledge Systems:Combining modern agricultural technologies with traditional knowledge can enhance agricultural productivity and resilience. This includes using modern tools for weather forecasting alongside traditional farming practices.

Eg: Revival of traditional rainwater harvesting structures like talabs (ponds) using modern engineering techniques in Rajasthan.

  • Community-Based Action: It involves mobilizing local communities to take action against the water crisis.

Eg:In Tamil Nadu, the Kudimaramathu Scheme involves community-led desilting of traditional tanks (ponds). These tanks recharge groundwater during monsoons.

  • Water Governance:Improving water governance involves enhancing the legal, institutional, and administrative rules that influence water use and management. It is crucial for ensuring equitable access to water resources and their sustainable use.
  • Diversifying Cropping Patterns:Developing and promoting the use of seed varieties and crops that can withstand climate change impacts such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves is crucial. This includes the use of traditional crops like millets that are naturally resilient to harsh weather conditions.Crop diversification reduces pressure on groundwater resources.

Eg: Government of India is implementing a multi stakeholder approach towards celebration of International Year of Millets (IYM) – 2023 for promoting diversification of crops.

  • Rainwater Harvesting and Watershed Management:Rainwater harvesting involves collecting and storing rainwater for future use, while watershed management involves protecting and restoring watersheds to ensure a sustainable water supply.

Eg: Johad,a community-owned traditional harvested rainwater storage wetland principally used for effectively harnessing water resources in the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab etc.

  • Water Monitoring:Regular monitoring of water resources helps in assessing their quality and quantity over time.

Eg:The Central Ground Water Board monitors groundwater levels across India through its network of observation wells.

  • Water Circularity:This concept involves creating a closed-loop system where water is reused and recycled, minimizing waste and promoting sustainability. Practices like wastewater treatment for reuse in irrigation or industrial processes, and rainwater harvesting for domestic use involves water circularity.

Eg:Surat city has implemented a model of recycling and reuse of water. The city generates revenue by selling treated water for non-potable uses.

  • Wetland Conservation:Wetlands play a crucial role in water purification, flood control, and providing habitat for wildlife. It supports biodiversity, provides livelihoods, and regulates water flow.
  • Women-led Sustainable and Decentralised Water Resource Management: In India, women are often the primary collectors, users, and managers of water in households and farms. The World Bank has found that water projects that included women were six to seven times more effective.
  • Community-based Climate Advisory Services: These services are crucial for farmers to manage weather and climate risks.

Eg:The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Microsoft in India have developed the Intelligent Agricultural System Advisory Tool, which has reached 40,000 farmers in two years, resulting in a 20% increase in groundnut and chickpea yields.

Solutions for Water and Nutritional Security

1.Innovative and proven technologies to increase productivity.

2.Climate change adaptation through community based practices.

3.Environmentally and socially sustainable and financially viable irrigation and water management strategies.

4.Reduce the climate footprint of agricultural production, bio-hazards and environmental pollution.

5.Bring sanitation and drinking water supplies closer to rural households.

6.Adopt efficient food and water recycling strategies.

7.Strengthen institutional arrangements and capacity for sustainable and equitable water regulations,management, access and ownership.

Water Sustainability in India: Govt initiatives

  • Solar 4 Resilience(S4R): This initiative aims to promote the use of solar energy for various applications, including water pumping and irrigation. It helps in reducing dependence on fossil fuels, thereby contributing to environmental sustainability.
  • Revival of Millets for Renewable Energy Promotion, Food Security and Nutrition: This focuses on promoting the cultivation of millets, which are hardy crops that require less water compared to other grains. The cultivation of millets contributes to food security, nutrition, and also promotes renewable energy as the crop residues can be used for bioenergy production.
  • Jal Jeevan Mission: This mission aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India.The program will also implement measures for the control of groundwater extraction.
  • Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY): Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been formulated with the vision of extending the coverage of irrigation ‘Har Khet ko pani’ and improving water use efficiency ‘More crop per drop'( through Drip and micro irrigation ) in a focused manner with end to end solution on source creation, distribution, management, field application and extension activities.
  • Atal Bhujal Yojana: This is a central sector scheme with the objective of managing demand-side management of groundwater resources and improving groundwater management through community participation.
  • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme: Under this scheme, water conservation projects are taken up which include works related to soil moisture conservation measures, renovation of traditional water bodies, rainwater harvesting structures, etc.
  • Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) scheme:The scheme is under the Ministry of Earth Sciences which aims to provide accurate crop specific advisories to the farmers.This will aid rainfed farmers in making informed decisions contributing to food security.

Food Security through Water Management: A case Study

  • A study in Raj Samadhiyala, Gujarat revealed that rainwater harvesting through watershed management doubled the productivity of groundnut and other major crops, and increased cropping intensity by 32% in eight years.
  • With improved groundwater availability, diversification with high-value crops like cumin, vegetables, and fruits was observed.
  • Food, fodder, fuel sufficiency substantially improved along with increased incomes, literacy, and social development.

Way Forward

  • Need to adopt innovative and collaborative approaches for improved management, conservation and availability of scarce water resources.
  • Urgent need to adapt to climate change by promoting technologies and practices that make rainfed production more resilient and sustainable.
  • Political commitment and concrete investment is needed to achieve global food and nutrition security.
  • Adopt a holistic and integrated approach that involves improving water governance.

Related Topics

Water Ethics

  • Water ethics focuses on the ethical aspects of human interventions into water systems.
  • Water is fundamental for life and health, making the ethics of water utilization and management pertinent.
  • Water ethics brings together scientific knowledge, cultural meaning, conservation, sanitation, health promotion, justice, equity, human rights, sustainability, biodiversity, democratic governance, law, and policy.
  • Social value of water looks at justice and equity, focussing on human health and well being including the fundamental right to water and sanitation.
  • Governance value of water looks at transparency, accountability and participation from all stakeholders.
  • Economic value of water pertains to a cost-benefit analysis of water, looking at efficient use of water, and avoiding wastage of real and virtual water.
  • Environmental value of water prioritizes the health of water ecosystems.
  • Cultural and spiritual values of water relate to identity, meaning and the relationship between communities and water.

Virtual Water

  • Virtual water, also known as embedded or embodied water, is the water “hidden” in the products, services, and processes people buy and use every day.
  • This water has been consumed throughout the value chain, which makes the creation of that product or service possible.
  • When goods and services are exchanged, so is virtual water.
  • Eg:When a country imports one tonne of wheat instead of producing it domestically, it is saving about 1,300 cubic meters of real indigenous water.

Reference

Practice Question

“Water management plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in India. Discuss the challenges and opportunities in water management practices that can enhance food security. Also, suggest some innovative solutions to improve water management for sustainable agriculture.”

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