Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T1-22P-1197
Enhancing Water Productivity in the Scarce Rainfall Zone of Andhra
Pradesh through Farmponds with Seepage Control
Boini Narsimlu 1 , N. Kishore, 2 , Sahadeva Reddy 2 , G. Ravindra Chary 1 , K.B. Sridhar 1
and K.A. Gopinath 1
1 ICAR-Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad-500059, Telangana.
2 AICRPDA centre, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Ananthapuramu-515001, A.P
Rainfed agriculture in India accounts for about 51% (72.98 m ha) of the net cultivated area,
supports 40% of total food grain production, 60% of livestock population and is mainly
depends on rainfall. It is mainly monsoon reliant, risk prone and often encounters extreme
variations in rainfall resulting in wide variation and instability in crop yields. Rainfed area
covered in Andhra Pradesh is about 67% (25.03 lakh ha) and in scarce rainfall zone it is about
72% (14.88 lakh ha) area. This scarce rainfall zone is drought prone which is characterized by
inadequate and erratic rainfall coupled with high evapotranspiration rate and eroded soils.
Water harvesting is an ancient tradition and used for millennia in most dry lands of the world;
many different techniques were developed. The on-farm runoff collection into farm ponds and
recycling through supplemental irrigation can increase and stabilize the crop production. There
is an abundant scope and opportunity for harvesting excess runoff in the rainfed region in
different states of the country. In a case study a farm pond with capacity of 50 m 3 , by using
drip system irrigation system, it is adequate to meet supplemental irrigation requirement for a
kitchen garden of 300– 600 m 2 planted with 90 days growing period cabbages. The cost-benefit
analysis showed that farm ponds are feasible solutions to persistent crop failures in semi-arid
areas (Ngigi et al., 2005). Harvested rainwater in farm pond will be able to provide life-saving
irrigation to standing crops when they are exposed to mid-term/terminal drought and also for
pre-sowing irrigation in post-rainy crops in rainfed areas. Study results on Nadi system
established under RKVY scheme in Bhilwara district during the year 2011–2013 indicates an
increased the water productivity by 28 to 48.5% in both the seasons (Jat et al., 2016). The
objectives are to study the performance and economics of lined vis-à-vis unlined farm ponds
and to assess the efficacy of lining material used in farm ponds in minimizing the seepage
losses across different zones.
Methodology
Study area is in scarce rainfall zone of Andhra Pradesh State and is under arid (hot) climate
with mean annual rainfall of 544 mm. The dominant soils of the region are alfisols (red soils)
and few black soil packets with predominant groundnut based rainfed production system.
Major crops grown during kharif season area groundnut, pigeonpea, maize, sunflower, rice,
cotton and in rabi finger millet and chickpea. The farm holding size of the regions is small and
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