Session: Research and Innovation for Increasing Water Use Efficiency
Combining Innovative indigenous knowledge and frontier techniques of blue and green water management for improved water use efficiency in the north-eastern region of India
U. C. SHARMA Former National Coordinator, National Agricultural Technology Project (ICAR) Vice President, International Commission on Water Quality (IAHS) (2003-2011)
Constraints in the NE Region Shifting cultivation Land tenure system Small land holdings High rainfall Conducive climate for pests and diseases Inhospitable terrain/ inaccessibility Lack of communication Lack of marketing facilities Lack of finance
Forest area
Desiltation tank I Desiltation tank II Main pond Animal enclosure
ZABO SYSTEM
Rice fields
Typical size and shape of paddycum-fish culture plots in Apatani plateau
A view of the rice fields in the valley
Bamboo Drip Irrigation
New Farming Systems Land use
Slope Crops (%)
Soil and water conservation measures
Grasses and fodders
32.0
Maize, rice-bean, oats, peas, guinea grass, tapioca, broom-grass
Contour bunds, trenches, grassed waterways
Forestry
38.0
Alder nepalensis, Albziia lebbeck, Acacia auriculiformis
None
Agro-forestry
32.2
Ficus hookerii, Eucalyptus, pine apple, guava, beans, pulse crops
Contour bunds
Agriculture
32.4
Beans, radish, maize, paddy, ginger, turmeric, upland rice, oats, groundnut, grasses on risers
Bench terraces, contour Bunds, grassed waterways
Agri-horti-silvipastoral
41.8
Ginger, Alder nepalensis, Ficus hookeri, grasses, guava, citrus, lemon, agricultural crops
Contour bunds, bench terraces, half-moon terraces, grassed waterways
Horticulture
53.2
Pear, peach, guava, citrus, lemon, vegetable crops
As above
Shifting cultivation
45.0
Mixture of crops
None
Effect of land use and rainfall on the sediment yield (t km-2) Land use
Annual rainfall (mm)
2195
2705
2770
2599
2388
1992
Mean
Fodders/grasses
14.2
16.3
28.8
18.6
10.6
9.0
16.2
Forestry (trees)
60.1
115.4
141.1
131.7
69.9
65.3
97.2
75.6 24.3
74.3 22.7
37.6 3.7
18.2 70.5
70.2
27.8
Agro-forestry Agriculture
35.4 3.9
Agri-horti-silvipastoral Horticulture
20.1 65.0
37.4 101.4
36.0 124.8
36.5 80.2
Shifting cultivation
2950.0 4580.0
4499.7
3610.0
3419.1 2669.4 3621.3
Mean
447.2
704.3
567.7
518.5
C.D. (p=0.05)
9.8
704.2
3.1 11.6 51.7
53.4 11.2
26.6 82.2
405.4
Land use = 77.6; Precipitation = 66.2; Land use x Precipitation = 162.5
Conclusions • Though NE region has plenty of water resources, their misuse and mismanagement has resulted in resource degradation. • Harvesting of run-off and more in-situ retention of rain water is necessary • Replacement of shifting cultivation with alternate land use systems • Small, cost effective, irrigation projects under the prevailing topographical situations.
THANK YOU