Intensifying irrigated agriculture in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains - Tim Foster
Added on Tue Aug 11 11:06:00 BST 2020
Duration: 0:16:06
This was presented at an event series convened by Manchester Environmental Research Institute to showcase water related research and was part of the ‘Water Research at Manchester - Water and Sustainable Development’ event on the 5th August 2020. In many parts of South Asia, electricity for groundwater pumping has been directly or indirectly subsidised by governments to support intensification of agriculture. In contrast, farmers in large portions of the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (EIGP) remain largely dependent on unsubsidised diesel power for irrigation pumping. High energy costs of pumping limit the ability of farmers to utilise available groundwater resources, increasing exposure to farm production risks and contributing to chronic poverty. To date, research to address these challenges has largely focused on efforts to enhance rural electrification or introduce renewable energy-based pumping systems that remain out of reach of many poor smallholders. However, there has been comparatively little focus on understanding opportunities to improve the cost-effectiveness and performance of the thousands of existing diesel-pump irrigation systems already in use in the EIGP. Here, we present findings from a recent survey of over 432 farmer households in the mid-western Terai region of Nepal – an important area of diesel-pump irrigation in the EIGP. Our survey provides information about key socio-economic, technological and behavioral aspects of diesel pump irrigation systems currently in operation, along with quantitative evidence about their impacts on agricultural productivity and profitability. We identify key institutional and technological strategies to support intensification of diesel pump irrigation, and highlight the role these solutions can play in supporting long-term poverty reduction and transitions to alternative electric or solar-based pumping systems in the region. Tim is a Senior Lecturer in Water-Food Security in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University of Manchester. His research combines insights from household surveys, remote sensing and crop modelling to understand the use of land, water and energy in agricultural production in regions worldwide. His research seeks to support farmers, policymakers and funder to design and implement policies to support sustainable agricultural water management and rural economies in both developed and developing countries.
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