INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS AND MODERN KNOWLEDGE OF WATER MANAGEMENT FOR INCREASING CROP PRODUCTIVITY IN HIMACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

摘要

This research paper studies the existing irrigation systems and their management and analyze various problems faced by the farmers and to identify the issues of water management in traditional and modern methods for optimal use and conservation of water on sustainable basis. An economic analysis reveals about 81.5% of the total cultivated area as rain fed. The productivities of important crops under rain fed conditions have been worked out to be about half to one-third of those under irrigated conditions. Though the net irrigated area has increased by about 3% under minor irrigation schemes during the last decade yet the total production has not grown significantly. About 62% of kuhls (water channels found in precipitous mountain areas) have been reported to be managed privately in a traditional way. At the present level of water management, the weighted irrigational development index has been worked out as about 46%. The study has emphasized upon various issues of ‘composite method’ of traditional and modern approach for conservation and utilization of water which may increase the irrigational development index. The study shows that the centuries old water harvesting structures of various sizes have been serving the water users successfully even today, mainly due to a comprehensive integrated planning taking into consideration all the relevant parameters.