Agriculture, the lifeline of the country, continues to hold 80 per cent of small and marginal farmers who have no easy access to basic irrigation and other agricultural management facilities. Unless the infrastructure support to agriculture is augmented, it will be difficult to explore the capacity of the sector to its full potential. One of the major factors that need to be addressed is the water management infrastructure in the country. Declining water levels due to unsustainable irrigation practices, poor maintenance and development of surface water storage systems, and significant pollution of surface and subsurface waters would severely affect water resources in the country. Energy consumption for irrigation is increasing with drop in groundwater levels, and is a major consumer of rural electricity. Free power supply further exacerbates the situation. Mounting water scarcity perpetuates through a vicious cycle, as farmers consume more due to climate variability, their perception being that water resources not exploited now might not be available tomorrow. This paper has analysed how institutional mechanism and innovative community structures can contribute towards workable water management practices, thereby increasing adaptability to climate change.
Water management, institutional mechanism, irrigation
