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Drivers of change in groundwater resources: a case study of the Indian Punjab

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  • Sukhwinder Singh

    (University of Michigan)

  • Julian Park

    (University of Reading)

Abstract

Indian Punjab, a strategically important region from India’s national food security standpoint, is increasingly the focus of attention for academics and policymakers because of serious concerns about over-exploitation of its groundwater resources. Currently, policy makers and agricultural researchers/scientists in India are in a fix to prescribe an alternative, probably more sustainable, crop-mix to farmers that can save water while maintaining farm incomes. Using primary data from 120 farmers, this paper evaluates the current situation of groundwater resources in Punjab, and outlines the major socio-economic factors that have a significant association with the change in the groundwater depth in this region. General ANOVA regression results suggest that groundwater depth varied significantly with respect to agro-climatic regions, crop diversity, and farmer education. Crop diversity had an inverse relationship with groundwater depth whereas the association between farmer education and groundwater depth was non-linear although in the case of Gurdaspur, they showed a direct relationship. In the central zone of Indian Punjab, groundwater level on 92% of the farms had depleted by more than 0.60 m annually between 2000 and 2010, while the current state of groundwater resources in the other two regions was not so serious and are manageable for the time being. However, if the existing policy framework for groundwater resources in the state, which allows the state government to release 0.11 million more connections to farmers, putting much pressure not only on the groundwater resources but also burdening the state exchequer, continues, Punjab may end up losing all its groundwater resources for ever. Considering this alarming situation, one-fifth of the farmers surveyd agreed to delay the sowing of rice by another 2 weeks i.e. up to 30 June which could save the fast depleting groundwater resources in Punjab.

Suggested Citation

  • Sukhwinder Singh & Julian Park, 2018. "Drivers of change in groundwater resources: a case study of the Indian Punjab," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 965-979, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ssefpa:v:10:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s12571-018-0823-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s12571-018-0823-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Singh, Karam, 2009. "Act to Save Groundwater in Punjab: Its Impact on Water Table, Electricity Subsidy and Environment," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 22(Conferenc).
    2. Sukhpal Singh, 2016. "Rethinking Diversification of Agriculture in the Indian Punjab: An Examination of Strategy and Mechanisms," India Studies in Business and Economics, in: Lakhwinder Singh & Nirvikar Singh (ed.), Economic Transformation of a Developing Economy, edition 1, chapter 0, pages 77-96, Springer.
    3. Singh, Karam, 2011. "Groundwater Depletion in Punjab: Measurement and Countering Strategies," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 66(4), pages 1-17.
    4. K, Sudarkodi & K, Sathyabama, 2011. "The Impact Of Climate Change On Agriculture," MPRA Paper 29784, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Sidhu, R.S. & Vatta, Kamal & Dhaliwal, H.S., 2010. "Conservation Agriculture in Punjab - Economic Implications of Technologies and Practices," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 65(3), pages 1-15.
    6. Lakhwinder Singh & Nirvikar Singh (ed.), 2016. "Economic Transformation of a Developing Economy," India Studies in Business and Economics, Springer, edition 1, number 978-981-10-0197-0, September.
    7. Sidhu, R.S. & Vatta, Kamal & Lall, Upmanu, 2011. "Climate Change Impact and Management Strategies for Sustainable Water-Energy-Agriculture Outcomes in Punjab," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 66(3), pages 1-12.
    8. Matthew Rodell & Isabella Velicogna & James S. Famiglietti, 2009. "Satellite-based estimates of groundwater depletion in India," Nature, Nature, vol. 460(7258), pages 999-1002, August.
    9. Srivastava, S.K. & Chand, Ramesh & Raju, S.S. & Jain, Rajni & I., Kingsly & Sachdeva, Jatinder & Singh, Jaspal & Kaur, Amrit Pal, 2015. "Unsustainable Groundwater Use in Punjab Agriculture: Insights from Cost of Cultivation Survey," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 70(3), pages 1-14.
    10. Singh, Karam, 2012. "Electricity Subsidy in Punjab Agriculture: Extent and Impact," Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, vol. 67(4), pages 1-16.
    11. de Fraiture, Charlotte & Giordano, Meredith, 2014. "Small private irrigation: A thriving but overlooked sector," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 167-174.
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