International Journal of Innovative Horticulture

Irrigation of crops using inefficient gravity irrigation is a major impediment to optimizing productivity to majority of small & marginal farmers world over including Telangana State of India. Therefore, Government of Telangana investment in Telangana State Microirrigation Project (TSMIP)-A Special Purpose Vehicle to acquire an efficient drip irrigation & fertigation tools through 80–100% subsidies to the farmer's is aimed at promoting highly productive yet climate-smart agriculture. Providing means to small & marginal farmers to use innovative efficient drip irrigation & fertigation technologies in crop production, is a key to averting water scarcity and increasing agri-horticultural productivity, incomes and household food security. The impact assessment in TSMIP indicates 8.8 to 53.3% water savings, 118 to 1532 kWh/ha, 30.1 to 110.6% enhancement in fertilizer use efficiency and 15.4 to 27.3 reduction in production costs in different fruits, vegetables and commercial field crops when compared to surface irrigation method. Additionally, drip irrigation and fertigation technologies in TSMIP also led to higher yields ranging between 20.9 to 104% in different horticultural and agricultural crops. Which in turn led to an increased net incremental cash flow of Rs. 28, 329 to 2, 44, 073/ha over surface irrigation in different horticultural and agricultural crops. Efficient drip irrigation also broadens farmers’ crop choices and enables them to grow higher-value vegetables and fruits for the marketplace. It generates employment for people both with and without land, since more people are needed to harvest, process, and market the crops and to supply farm inputs. The additional farm income ripples through the local economy, generating employment and higher incomes for off-farm workers as well, all of which reduce rural poverty as the poor typically spend 60–70 percent of their income on food.