4. Micro-irrigation in Karnataka: Potential and Constraints for Adoption

This Chapter has attempted to review the status of micro-irrigation in Karnataka, and analyse its potential and constraints in adoption by the farmers. It relied on the secondary data and other published information. Heavy electricity subsidy in the farm sector and the resultant preference of well irrigators for high water consuming crops is reported to be causing groundwater over-use in the State. The net area irrigated through groundwater increased substantially from 1.5 lakh hectares (16.0 % of net sown area) in 1962–63 to 16.2 lakh hectares (53.0 % of net sown area) in 2009–10. Analysis of cropping pattern of the last five decades reveals the marked shift from low water intensive crops to high water requiring crops such as sugarcane and vegetables. Both the Karnataka state water policy and agricultural policy take cognizance of the problem of groundwater depletion and suggested among others, the promotion of drip and sprinkler irrigation. Various subsidy schemes to encourage the farmers to adopt micro-irrigation are in vogue. But, the level of adoption of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems remains low. Some of the reported constraints for low adoption are high capital cost, lack of appropriate design for different soil conditions, delay in release of subsidy and small land holding size.