Importance of Irrigation in India
The need and importance of Irrigation in India are described in the following points:
- The rainfall anomalies of various types bring about crop failure especially in the rainfall deficient areas or drought prone areas. These are mainly located in parts of north-west of India, Gujarat, and the Deccan Plateau etc. Crop failure leads to famine condition unless adequate protective measures are not provided in terms of irrigation.
Normally, inadequacy of rainfall in those rainfall deficient areas or drought prone areas (below 1000 mm annual average) has to be made good by irrigation.
- Incidentally, the greater degree of variability and uncertainty has further augmented the element of risk in agricultural enterprise even in wet areas of India. Irrigation can be used to tide over the risk.
- Perennial irrigation can be used to produce additional crops in the dry months (cold and hot weather season).
In addition to irrigation, other measures such as:
Adoption of dry farming systems particularly in these drought-prone areas,
Development of rural electrification,
Enhancement of the transport and communication are being taken to combat the drought problem.
