Groundwater use and its productivity in crop production: an economic study in Balasore district of Odisha

Abstract

Water, an essential element for sustaining life, is relied upon by the entire human population, who depend on both surface water and groundwater. Groundwater is favored over surface water due to its accessibility and quality. It plays a crucial ecological role by supporting rivers, wetlands, lakes, and subterranean ecosystems within alluvial aquifers. However, in recent decades, the excessive extraction of groundwater has led to a decline in the water table. This has had varied impacts, with both positive and negative consequences. On one hand, groundwater use has provided socioeconomic benefits in the short and medium term, improving human well-being, enhancing agricultural and industrial production, supporting urban and rural development, improving health, and reducing poverty. On the other hand, the high extraction rates have put many aquifers and their associated ecosystems at risk, resulting in long-term environmental impacts. India's groundwater extraction rate, as assessed by the DGWR in 2017, stands at 63.33 percent. Agricultural irrigation is the primary cause of groundwater extraction, consuming nearly 90 percent of the country's groundwater potential. The rapidly increasing population has led to a higher demand for food and fiber, leading to unsustainable groundwater use through the extensive use of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds. This has resulted in the conversion of previously safe areas into over-exploited zones. To address this issue, it is necessary to realign the cropping pattern with water resource availability in the country. Water productivity mapping can help achieve this goal.