Constraints to smallholder livelihoods Constraints to smallholder livelihoods in irrigated agriculture in in irrigated agriculture in groundwatergroundwater--dependent parts of Asiadependent parts of Asiagroundwatergroundwater dependent parts of Asiadependent parts of Asia
Karen G. VillholthKaren G. VillholthSenior ResearcherSenior Researcher
GEUS, Geological Survey of GEUS, Geological Survey of Denmark and GreenlandDenmark and GreenlandCopenhagen, DenmarkCopenhagen, Denmark
Towards Sustainable Groundwater in Agriculture Towards Sustainable Groundwater in Agriculture ––An International Conference Linking Science and PolicyAn International Conference Linking Science and PolicySan Francisco, California, USA, Jun. 15, 2010San Francisco, California, USA, Jun. 15, 2010
CPWF Project on Groundwater Governance in Asia (GGA)CPWF Project on Groundwater Governance in Asia (GGA)::
C it B ildi th h A ti R h iC it B ildi th h A ti R h iCapacity Building through Action Research in Capacity Building through Action Research in the Indothe Indo--Gangetic and Yellow River BasinsGangetic and Yellow River Basins
IndoIndo--Ganges RiversGanges Rivers Yellow River/Yellow River/North China PlainsNorth China Plains
IndiaPakistanN l
China
NepalBangladesh
2,251,500 km2
795,125 km2
g13
Slide 2
g13 Two overall objectives:
- Build capacity for groundwaer management in these five countries, and- Understand the realities and constaints for contemporary GW use and mgt. in the regiongeus, 6/15/2010
Groundwater zones of IGB & YRBGroundwater zones of IGB & YRBGroundwater zones of IGB & YRBGroundwater zones of IGB & YRB
The groundwaterThe groundwater--livelihood settinglivelihood settingThe groundwaterThe groundwater livelihood settinglivelihood setting
India China Pakistan Bangladesh Nepal Totalg pPopulation, Population, millionmillion
1.1821.182 1.3381.338 170170 162162 2929 2.8812.881
Percentage of Percentage of 70%70% 59%59% 60%60% 85%85% 86%86% 65%65%population population whose livelihood whose livelihood depends on depends on agricultureagriculture
Percentage of Percentage of population population dependent ondependent on
58%58% 23%23% 63%63% 64%64% 9%9% 42% 42%
dependent on dependent on GW for irrigationGW for irrigation
No. of people No. of people d dd d
686686 308308 107107 104104 33 1.207 1.207 dependent on dependent on GW for GW for irrigation, millionirrigation, million
No. of wells(million)
25
Groundwater use in Asia Groundwater use in Asia is characterized by a large is characterized by a large
b f ll lb f ll l0
5
10
15
20
number of small scale number of small scale usersusers
0India China Pakistan Mexico USA
Extraction per well(1000 cubic m/year)(1000 cubic m/year)
200
400
600
800
1000
Number of farmers dependent on groundwater,0
India China Pakistan Mexico USA
as a fraction of total population
3040506070
0102030
India China Pakistan Mexico USA
Farmers dependent on Farmers dependent on groundwater constitute a groundwater constitute a large fraction of the large fraction of the Ref: Shah 2003a ge act o o t ea ge act o o t epopulation in Asiapopulation in Asia
Ref: Shah, 2003
Farmers are smallholders, including Farmers are smallholders, including f f lf f lwomen. Majority of farmers live on very women. Majority of farmers live on very
small landholdings (< 1 ha)small landholdings (< 1 ha)gg
Groundwater irrigated areaGroundwater irrigated areaGroundwater irrigated areaGroundwater irrigated areaIn 1000 ha
Ref:
FAO A t tFAO Aquastat 2003 and other sources
Groundwater development in selected countriesp
250year India
200
250
cubi
c km
/y USAChinaBangladeshPakistan
150
ithdr
awal
, PakistanMexicoW.EuropeTunisia
50
100
ndw
ater
wi
South AfricaSri LankaVietnam
01940 1960 1980 2000
Gro
un SpainGhana
Ref: Shah, 2004
Different contexts need different Different contexts need different mgt. solutionsmgt. solutions
Common challenge:Common challenge: How to facilitate approaches thatHow to facilitate approaches that
India USA
Common challenge:Common challenge: How to facilitate approaches that How to facilitate approaches that target the way farmers act/react?target the way farmers act/react?(agricultural policies, subsidies, prices, incentives/disincentives)(agricultural policies, subsidies, prices, incentives/disincentives)
Research questionsResearch questionsResearch questionsResearch questions
•• What is the link between GW use and availability?What is the link between GW use and availability?
h b f f G ?h b f f G ?•• Who is benefitting from GW irrigation?Who is benefitting from GW irrigation?
Wh t th t i t f GW b fit ?Wh t th t i t f GW b fit ?•• What are the constraints for GW benefits?What are the constraints for GW benefits?
•• How do farmers adopt?How do farmers adopt?•• How do farmers adopt?How do farmers adopt?
•• Where to focus research and policy advice?Where to focus research and policy advice?•• Where to focus research and policy advice?Where to focus research and policy advice?
Study sites within the IndoStudy sites within the Indo--Gangetic and Yellow River BasinsGangetic and Yellow River Basins
g1
Slide 13
g1 No. of villages: 2-20No. of farmers per site: 73geus, 3/8/2009 Groundwater zones of IGB & YRBGroundwater zones of IGB & YRBGroundwater zones of IGB & YRBGroundwater zones of IGB & YRB
wI & Ch
Pak
eIGB
Resource perspectiveResource perspectiveResource perspectiveResource perspective
WesternWestern Eastern IndiaEastern India PakistanPakistanWestern Western IndiaIndia
& China& China
Eastern IndiaEastern IndiaBangladeshBangladesh
& Nepal& Nepal
PakistanPakistan
& Nepal& NepalFraction of Fraction of irrigation irrigation
68 68 --100 100 %% 72 72 -- 100 100 %% 74 74 -- 79 79 %%
from GWfrom GWRainfallRainfall 550550--768 768
mm/yrmm/yr12321232--2000 2000
mm/yrmm/yr375375--650 650
mm/yrmm/yrmm/yrmm/yr mm/yrmm/yr mm/yrmm/yr
GWLGWLmbglmbgl
2323--300 300 mm < 10 < 10 mm 44--15 15 mmgg
GWL GWL declinedecline
0.9 0.9 -- 2.0 2.0 m/yrm/yr
~0 ~0 m/yrm/yr 0.1 0.1 m/yrm/yr
TheTheThe The hidden hidden droughtdrought
300 m300 m300 m300 m
Farmer and agronomic perspectiveFarmer and agronomic perspectiveWW E I diE I di P kiP kiWestern Western
IndiaIndia& China& China
Eastern IndiaEastern IndiaBangladeshBangladesh
& Nepal& Nepal
PakistanPakistan
& China& China & Nepal& Nepal
Farms < 2 Farms < 2 haha
8080--100 100 %% 97 97 %% 62 62 %%hahaMajor Major cropscrops
Wheat, maize, Wheat, maize, ricerice
Rice, wheat, Rice, wheat, mustard, jute, mustard, jute,
Rice, wheat, Rice, wheat, sugarcane, sugarcane, cropscrops
banana, maize, banana, maize, vegetablesvegetables
cottoncotton
CroppingCropping 156156 179179 146146 250250 160160CroppingCroppingintensityintensity
156156--179179 146146--250250 160160
CropCrop yieldsyields Wheat: 6484Wheat: 6484 Wheat: 2028Wheat: 2028 Wheat: 2600Wheat: 2600
Attainable wheat yield: 3600 kg/ha (FAO, 2002)
CropCrop yieldsyieldskg/hakg/ha
Wheat: 6484Wheat: 6484Maize: 6427Maize: 6427
Wheat: 2028Wheat: 2028Rice: 3071Rice: 3071
Wheat: 2600Wheat: 2600Rice: 2750Rice: 2750
Economic energy and equity perspectiveEconomic energy and equity perspectiveEconomic, energy and equity perspectiveEconomic, energy and equity perspective
WesternWestern Eastern IndiaEastern India PakistanPakistanWestern Western IndiaIndia
& China& China
Eastern IndiaEastern IndiaBangladeshBangladesh
& Nepal& Nepal
PakistanPakistan
pp
Share of Share of irrigation irrigation
12 12 %% 77--32 32 %% 2222--33 33 %%
cost in cost in total costtotal costCapital cost Capital cost of well,of well, USDUSD
24602460--5700 5700 USDUSD
15 15 -- 570 570 USDUSD 4040--100 100 USDUSD
EnergyEnergy ElectricityElectricity DieselDiesel notnot Diesel &Diesel & elecelecEnergy Energy sourcesource
ElectricityElectricity, , subsidizedsubsidized
Diesel, Diesel, notnotsubsidizedsubsidized
Diesel & Diesel & elecelec., ., notnot subsidizedsubsidized
Coping strategiesCoping strategiesWestern IndiaWestern India
& China& ChinaEastern IndiaEastern IndiaBangladeshBangladesh
PakistanPakistan
p g gp g g
& China& China BangladeshBangladesh& Nepal& Nepal
•• Crop diversificationCrop diversification ••RainRain--fed farmingfed farming ••Conjunctive use Conjunctive use pp•• Install deeper Install deeper wellswells
ffff
••Leasing out land to richer Leasing out land to richer farmersfarmers••Use of kerosene toUse of kerosene to
jjof GW and surface of GW and surface waterwater••Farmers cropFarmers crop•• Efficient pumpsEfficient pumps
•• Simple water Simple water saving techniquessaving techniques
Use of kerosene to Use of kerosene to replace dieselreplace diesel••Rental market for pumpsRental market for pumps••Use of fuelUse of fuel efficientefficient
••Farmers crop Farmers crop intensively and intensively and grow more watergrow more water--
saving techniquessaving techniques•• Income Income diversificationdiversification
••Use of fuelUse of fuel--efficient efficient Honda pumpsHonda pumps••Use of plastic pipelines Use of plastic pipelines ff
saving crops or saving crops or cash cropscash crops
•• MigrationMigrationfor conveyancefor conveyance••Diversify livelihoods and Diversify livelihoods and work for larger farmerswork for larger farmers
Groundwater marketsGroundwater marketsGroundwater marketsGroundwater markets
•• Informal, local, private, and unregulated Informal, local, private, and unregulated markets where richer farmers with better markets where richer farmers with better access to groundwater sell groundwater access to groundwater sell groundwater services to less wealthy farmersservices to less wealthy farmers
•• A mechanism for water sharing A mechanism for water sharing -- helping to helping to improve access of the poorer farmersimprove access of the poorer farmersp o e access o e poo e a e sp o e access o e poo e a e s
•• Widespread across the Asian countries Widespread across the Asian countries investigated but less so in Chinainvestigated but less so in Chinainvestigated, but less so in Chinainvestigated, but less so in China
Local/social Local/social //regulationregulation
ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusions
•• GW irrigation economies shaped by and constrained by GW irrigation economies shaped by and constrained by poverty, GW availability, and energy accesspoverty, GW availability, and energy access
•• Farmers wisely develop a range of coping and adaptation Farmers wisely develop a range of coping and adaptation strategies to optimize GW use under given circumstancesstrategies to optimize GW use under given circumstances
•• Research and policy advice need to take into account Research and policy advice need to take into account heterogeneity in physical and socioheterogeneity in physical and socio--economic realitieseconomic realities
•• Focus should be on energy, other supporting inputs, Focus should be on energy, other supporting inputs, alternative livelihoodsalternative livelihoodsalternative livelihoodsalternative livelihoods
g12
Slide 28
g12 Four different institutions in north India, - Department of Water Resources Development and Management (DWRDM) (IIT), Roorkee, Uttaranchal- The Central Soil andWater Conservation Research and Training Institute (CSWCRTI), Dehradun- Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun- Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana- Punjabi University, Patialageus, 3/8/2009
Th k !Th k !Thank you!Thank you!
Outline of GGA projectOutline of GGA projectp jp j
11stst cyclecycle 22ndnd cyclecycleyyTraining Program 2006 Training Program 2006 -- 20072007 Training Program 2007 Training Program 2007 -- 20082008
com
pone
nt
Training School Training School
Fellow ResearchTrai
ning
c
Fellow Research Fellow Research
pone
ntT
Pilot studies, synthesis research
earc
hco
mp
Rese
http://www.waterandfood.org/gga/http://www.waterandfood.org/gga/
How to convert knowledge gained from How to convert knowledge gained from research into GW managementresearch into GW management??research into GW managementresearch into GW management??
?
?
Course outlineCourse outline
Tier I: Young Practitioner Fellows Modules and Resource Agricultural Social Policies Scientific Holiday Tier II: Senior
Course outlineCourse outline
Modules and sessions:
Resource characterization and mobilization, Environment
Agricultural water use
Social sciences, Economics, Institutions
Policies, Governance
Scientific methods, Research preparation, Field tours
Holiday Tier II: Senior Practitioner Fellows
Day Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5
Monday Public holiday GW saving/augmentation Farming systems Farmer decision making
GW/Irrigation institutions GW markets
Paradigms for GW governance Adoptive GW mgt.
Tuesday Arrival of fellows Intro. to agronomy Game: Naranpur Express -
Global experience on GW institutions
Water rights Community mgt. of
Simulation of a South Asian Village
GW
Wednesday Introduction Basic hydrology Intro to CPWF basins
Data collection and use GW modeling
Political Anthropology State and community GW policies Political economy of North China
Thursday Intro. to social sciences Social and cultural Public holiday, Diwali Case studies from the GW-energy nexus anthropology region
Awareness raising State and communitymgt. of GW irrigation in North India
Friday Hydro-geology GW flow processes
Soil-water-plant relationships Crop water requirements
GW policies in north and south India GW mgt. in Australia
GW irrigation field trip Intro. to socio-economic survey in Punjab
Water productivity Irrigation systems
Saturday GW quality, health, and environmental impacts
Physical landscape field trip
Mgt. of arsenic GW contamination Evaluation and closing
g9Slide 32
g9 - Up to 5 weeks of course training program- Up to 14 weeks of field-based research workgeus, 3/8/2009
ContentContentContentContentFraction of irrigation from GWFraction of irrigation from GW 68 68 --100 100 %%
72 72 -- 100 100 %% 74 74 -- 79 79 %%