The farmers, though, are caught in a kind of Hobson’s choice.
The crop that gives them financial security is sugarcane, not
millets. The solution lies in changing cropping patterns and
methods of irrigation. However, large parts of the country
continue to rely on rainfall for agriculture needs. If the rains
fail, groundwater is the casualty. “Farmers, especially those
with assured irrigation, changed their crops and cropping
systems over the past decades. This was in response to policies
that support water- and chemical-intensive production,
pricing mechanisms and subsidies,” says Rajeshwari Raina,
professor at Shiv Nadar University. “But these are no longer
sustainable. There is a need for policies that will help farmers
in specific agro-ecosystems shift to more sustainable, ecologi-
cally suitable cropping systems.”
Another flashpoint is the tussle between
indus try and farmers. It is not just competition
for land, as was evident in clashes between
corporations and local communities in West
Bengal (Nano project) and Odisha (mining
projects), but also a fight for the use of available
and shrinking water resources. The water
demand by ind ustry, which is largely set up in
rural India, is expected to go up by nine times
over the next few decades.
Consider the case of farmers’ suicides in
Vidharbha (Maharashtra). Recently, 35
farmers’ organisations in the region fought
against expansion of the Koradi Thermal
Power Station, which is coming up nearNagpur city. The fear is that water will be diverted to the
power plant, making farmers suffer. “The region is facing
acute shortage and diverting water for power generation
will add to our woes,” says Vidharbha Environmental
Action Group convenor Sudhir Paliwal.
However, it is not all bad news on the rural front as
community-led efforts, backed by panchayats, have gained
ground. Across the country, over the past three decades,
several jal chaupal or pani panchayats have emerged. They
are democratic platforms for communities to decide about
how they will conserve water, and plan its utilisation. “Our
experience so far of jal choupal initiatives is
that within three to four months, awareness
and action on water are increased, which is
encouraging. A clear understanding is emerg-
ing that the burden on women over issues
related to water should come down,” says
Raman V.R., head of policy, WaterAid India.
Government studies indicate that average
rainfall declined from 1,050 mm in the kharif
(summer cropping) season of 1970 to less than
1,000 mm in the kharif season of 2015.
Similarly, in the rabi (winter cropping) season,
average rainfall declined from approximately
150 mm in 1970 to about 100 mm in 2015. Dry
days, or days without rainfall, during the mon-“There is a need
for policies that
help farmers shift
to ecologically
suitable cropping
systems,” says
Rajeshwari Raina.
cover story
38 OutlOOk 5 august 2019
appeasemeNT pOliCy mumbai priests stand in
water vats and chant shlokas to win over the rain gods