Precision Water Management for Resource Conservation in India's Dryland Agriculture: Strategies and Technologies

Water is a critical input for agricultural production systems. Increasing water productivity in field crops through precision water management (PWM) is essential for optimizing resource use. PWM aims to achieve maximum crop yield with optimal water utilization, enhancing productivity and crop quality through judicious irrigation. Proper crop monitoring related to applied irrigation helps growers manage their fields efficiently, saving water, time, and costs while improving yields compared to conventional systems. Analysing crop-water requirements and applying irrigation based on these parameters is crucial. Geographic Information System (GIS) technology integrates spatial and temporal data, aiding practical managerial decisions for irrigation. Proper adoption of precision irrigation can save up to 25% more water than conventional practices. Agriculture, the largest water consumer, uses 70% of global water resources, with drylands producing over half of the world's food. In India, drylands encompass 68% of the net sown area, contributing significantly to crop production but facing freshwater scarcity, global warming, and erratic rainfall, impacting productivity. Despite efforts to improve irrigation efficiency in India, overall efficiency remains between 35% and 40%. Advances in irrigation systems and technologies now enable site-specific application of water within fields, enhancing water use efficiency and reducing overall water usage for sustainable crop production, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This paper explores recent developments in Variable-Rate Irrigation (VRI) technologies, including drip and central pivot irrigation systems. Effective precision water management can significantly boost crop yields, ensuring food security and contributing to sustainable development goals (SDG).