Assessment of Water Use Efficiency in Vegetable Cultivation under Groundwater Conditions in Karnataka, India

Water is a vital input for agriculture and essential for economic and social development, particularly in Karnataka, one of India’s most drought-prone states, where only 34 per cent of gross cropped area is irrigated and agriculture is heavily dependent on groundwater. The study examined the profitability and water use efficiency of major crops under groundwater irrigation in Bengaluru Rural district. A multistage random sampling method was employed, selecting 120 farmers from 10 villages across Hoskote and Nelamangala taluks known for cole crop cultivation. Primary data on input use, costs, yields and irrigation were collected using pre-tested schedules and analysed through cost and returns analysis, irrigation intensity and water use efficiency measures. Results indicated that vegetable crops, particularly cabbage and cauliflower, incurred higher cultivation costs but yielded substantially greater net returns compared to cereals such as ragi and maize, with per acre net returns and returns per rupee spent higher for vegetables. Water use efficiency analysis showed economic efficiency (₹ per acre-inch) was highest in cauliflower (₹ 18,420) and cabbage (₹ 15,034) followed by maize (₹ 9,257) and ragi (₹ 7,781) while technical efficiency (quintals per acre-inch) similarly favoured vegetables. The findings demonstrate that groundwater irrigation significantly enhances productivity, profitability and cropping intensity with vegetables providing superior returns and efficient water utilization compared to cereals. The study highlighted the strategic importance of using groundwater judiciously for high-value horticultural crops, suggesting that optimized irrigation and nutrient management practices can improve farm incomes and sustainable water use in water-scarce regions of Karnataka.