Agricultural Economics Research Review

The Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Waterbodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) project has been launched to improve the service delivery and productivity of irrigated agriculture with effective integrated water resources management in a sub-basin framework in Tamil Nadu. This study has assessed the impact of waterbodies restoration in the Sivagangai district on water level in (a) open wells, (b) bore wells, and has also looked into the impact of project on the yield and income. The study conducted on 225 sample farmers has revealed that impact on groundwater level was 22.84 per cent increase in the open wells and 25.06 per cent increase in the bore-wells. The yield increase was 5.23 per cent for paddy and 3.50 per cent for chillies. The net benefit realized by the entire sample farmers by participating in the IAMWARM project was of 2,60,236. The difference in paddy yield between project villages and non-project villages was 839.50 kg/ha in the vaigai system fed tank area. It was found 41.68 kg/ha for cotton. The net gain received by the respondents for cotton in the project village over non-project village was 1,87,826. In the rainfed tank irrigated farms, difference in paddy yield between project villages and non-project villages was of 452.30 kg/ha. It was found 41.68 kg/ha for chillies. The study has concluded that IAMWARM project had a good impact in terms of groundwater recharge, yield and income at farm level.