IGNITE - ASHWAMEDHA ’09

BRIEF - IRRIGATION
C ANAND
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT INDORE
P08ANANDC@IIMIDR.AC.IN ; 9907664768

Thursday 5 November 2009

 THE ISSUE

AGRICULTURAL SURPLUS -> INCREASE IN FOOD IMPORTS

AND WATER CONSUMPTION OVER LAST FEW DECADES

NET IRRIGATED AREA HAS GROWN BY 24% FROM 1980-81 TO

1990-91 AND 18% FROM 1990-91 TO 2000-01

APPROPRIATE MEASURE: GROSS IRRIGATED AREA

(IRRIGATION DEMAND) = NET IRRIGATED AREA * IRRIGATION
INTENSITY

KEY POINTS
* INDIA’S AGRICULTURE DEPENDENT POPULATION HAS BEEN DECREASING OVER THE LAST TWO
DECADES DUE TO URBAN MIGRATION
* VARIABILITY IN MONSOON HAS STRONG IMPACT ON FORTUNES OF CROP
* WATER AVAILABILITY DETERMINES CROPPING PATTERN WHICH MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE
MOST SOIL FRIENDLY

Thursday 5 November 2009

 THE CAUSE FOR CONCERN

NET SOWN AREA REMAINED CONSTANT OVER LAST DECADE

LOW (NO) PRICE FOR WATER AND ELECTRICITY = NO

INCENTIVE FOR EFFICIENT USE OF AVAILABLE WATER

GROWING COMPETITION FOR WATER - AGRICULTURAL VS.

NON AGRICULTURAL USES

IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLY - NOT SUPPLY OR DEMAND BASED

KEY POINTS
* WATER ALLOCATION BY IRRIGATION ENGINEERS RELY ON THE HISTORY OF THE GEOGRAPHY -
NOT VERY PROFESSIONAL AND RELIABLE
* WATER SCARCITY LEAVES TAILENDERS AT CANALS SUFFERING
* INTER STATE TRANSFERS - A BURNING ISSUE THAT WATER CANT DOUSE (KARNATAKA VS. TN)

Thursday 5 November 2009

 NOTABLE FACTS
• 1950-1999: GIA INCREASED FROM 22 TO 76 IRRIGATED LAND GROWTH OVER YEARS

MILLION HECTARES
• WIDENING GAP BETWEEN GIA AND NIA
SHOWS INCREASING ROLE OF IRRIGATION
INTENSITY
• ADDITIONAL IRRIGATIONAL AREAS DEPEND
ON SUCCESS OF MAJOR PROJECTS - SUBJECT
TO POLITICAL WILL, TIME AND COST OVER-
RUNS
• HISTORY OF MAJOR PROJECTS - :(
• CONTRIBUTION OF MINOR SOURCES - 81 MHA
• CONTRIBUTION OF MAJOR SOURCES - 51 MHA
SOURCE: FUTURE OF IRRIGATION IN INDIA, IWMI, INDIA

“OVER “ DIVERSION/
MECHANIZATION HIGHER CHOICE OF HIGHER
SALE & WATER
LEADING TO PRODUCTIVITY PER VALUE CASH CROPS
TRADING/
INEFFICIENT WATER HECTARE TO FARMERS
RATIONING
USE
0

POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF INCREASING INTENSITY

*** NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON IMPROVING EFFICIENCIES OF WHAT WE POSSESS***

Thursday 5 November 2009

 IMPROVEMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION
PHYSICAL - DRIP IRRIGATION & LAND LEVELING TO MINIMIZE
OVERFLOWS

WATER TRADING - RATIONING AND LIMITING SUPPLY OF FREE & ABUSED

RESOURCE

IMPROVED WATER FEE COLLECTION TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH

ACCEPTED NORMS OF USAGE

INTER BASIN WATER TRANSFERS (INTER-LINKING OF RIVERS ON

SMALLER SCALE) - LINK UP UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM VILLAGES
AND BILL TRANSFERS

IRRIGATION SCHEDULING - MECHANIZATION, FLOW MANAGEMENT,

CONTROL OF PERFORMANCE (PANCHAYATI/MUNICIPAL LEVEL), ON-
FIELD ESTIMATION AND ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS

Thursday 5 November 2009

 INTELLIGENT COLLABORATIVE IRRIGATION

VALUE PROPOSITION - PROVIDING A COMMUNITY LEVEL OPPORTUNITY

TO MUTUALLY BENEFIT FROM EFFICIENT WATER USAGE

TECHNOLOGY & OPERATIONAL FEASIBILITY - SMART CONTROLLERS

ARE AN UPCOMING ADVANCEMENT IN FOREIGN FIELDS AND INTER-
LINKING WATER SUPPLY SOURCES IS AN EXTENSION OF CURRENT
SYSTEM

AGGREGATING INDIVIDUAL WATER RESOURCES ->APPROPRIATE

ALLOCATION -> METERING -> NETWORK TRANSFER -> INCENTIVIZING
USERS ON NETWORK -> AGGREGATION OF RESOURCES

USP
*** ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS BOTH DEMAND AND SUPPLY SIDE OF THE WATER EQUATION AT ONE GO***

Thursday 5 November 2009

 THE SOLUTION - INTELLIGENT COLLABORATIVE
IRRIGATION

BASED
Control of Network
ON CROP,
GROWTH Demand Side Measures Supply Side Measures
CYCLE, SOIL
CONDITION
•Irrigation Scheduling - Localized for each field
CENTRAL
ETC.
which is part of collaborative water management Aggregation Of
WATER
ecosystem in village with individual control STORE WILL
system onsite • Individual Ground Water Resources BE AN
• Government Piped Supply AGGREGATE
•Real Time Update of irrigation requirements to • Run Off Rain Water Harvesting OF THESE
CONSTANT & fro local controller and central control system • Natural Rain POTENTIAL
MONITORING for village through Geographic Information • Network Transfer SOURCES
OF BOTH CROP System
AS WELL AS
WATER •Community Level - Central Control System
LEVELS FOR
REGION
•Community linked for knowledge transfer on (CCS) + Central Water Store
efficient water utilization • Field Level - Individual Control System (ICS) +
Local Water Store

CCS TO
SMS BASED POSSESS GIS
MOBILE GROUP FOR AND ADVANCED
DAILY UPDATES ON WEATHER STATUS
CONSUMPTION & RESOURCES AND
AVAILABILITY COMMUNICATES
WITH ICS

Thursday 5 November 2009

 INTELLIGENT COLLABORATIVE IRRIGATION -
OPERATIONAL DETAILS

INSTALLATION, TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE TO BE PERFORMED BY

CCS OPERATOR

FUNDING FOR ICS AND LINKING OF LOCAL & CENTRAL WATER STORE
CAN BE ARRANGED THROUGH BANK LOAN & OTHER ASSISTANCE -
ICS IN THE SIMPLEST FORM ARE FLOW MEASUREMENT METERS

COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER SESSIONS TO BE ORGANIZED

TO EDUCATE USERS OF ICS ABOUT CROP IRRIGATION PATTERNS AND
SETTINGS PERFORMED AT CCS

INCENTIVE - HASSLE FREE IRRIGATION MAINTENANCE, MINIMAL

WATER WASTAGE AND MONETARY INCENTIVE THROUGH
INVENTORYING WATER TRANSFER TO NETWORK

Thursday 5 November 2009

 SCALE
THE INTELLIGENT COLLABORATIVE IRRIGATION SETUP CAN PILOT TEST IN
VARIOUS STAGES:

START WITH INTERLINKING SUPPLY OF ALL FIELDS IN A VILLAGE AND

INSTALLING METERS FOR MONITORING FLOWS AND PROVIDE CONTROL OF
TRANSFER TO INDIVIDUAL OWNER (NO TRANSFER)

REGULAR UPDATES ON CROP REQUIREMENTS, WATER USED VS. REQUIRED

LEVELS AND ENCOURAGING FARMERS TO EXPERIENCE CONTROL OF THE ICS
(SENSOR BASED WATER CONTROL AT VARIOUS POINTS OF FIELD)

AFTER CRITICAL MASS OF NODES ARE ACTIVE AND BASED ON CONSENT,

CONTROL CAN BE CENTRALIZED AND TRANSFERS CAN BE METERED FOR
MONETARY BENEFITS

SCALING UP OF PROJECT CAN BE PERFORMED BASED ON EXTENSION OF NODES

AND DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL SYSTEM & CENTRAL WATER STORES AT
VARIOUS LOCATIONS ACROSS VILLAGES

Thursday 5 November 2009

 THANK YOU!

Thursday 5 November 2009