• Water is a critical input for agricultural production and plays an important role in food security.
• Irrigated agriculture represents 20% of the total cultivated land and contributes 40% of the total food produced worldwide.
• Irrigated agriculture is at least twice as productive per unit of land as rainfed agriculture, allows for more production intensification and crop diversification.
• Population is expected to increase to over 10 billion by 2050, and whether urban or rural, this population will need food and fiber to meet its basic needs.
• It is estimated that agricultural production will need to expand by approximately 70% by 2050.
• The future demand for water by all sectors will require about 25-40% of water to be reallocated from lower to higher productivity and employment activities, particularly in water-stressed regions.
• Currently, agriculture accounts for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals globally and a higher share of “consumptive water use” due to the evapotranspiration of crops.

World Food Day:

• October 16 is observed as World Food Day to mark the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1945.
• FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security in the aftermath of World War II.
• Theme for 2023 is “Water is Life. Water is Food”.
• While ample food is being produced on this planet that can easily feed eight billion people, its access is quite skewed across nations.

Food Security in India:

• India went through a journey of “ship to mouth” in mid-1960s but exported 85 million tonnes (MT) of cereals, mainly rice, wheat, and corn in the last three years (2020-21 to 2022-23).
• This was achieved after providing free food (rice or wheat) to more than 800 million people under the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana.
• India’s milk production increased from 17 MT in 1951 to 222 MT in 2022-23, making India the world’s largest producer.
• Since 2000-01, poultry and fishery production has been growing at a fast rate.
• Apart from green (agriculture) and white (milk) revolution, India has ushered in an era of pink (poultry) and blue (fishery) revolution.
• But almost 16.6% of population is malnourished (2020-22), 35% children below 5 years of age are stunted (low height-for-age) and 32% are underweight (low weight-for-age), based on National Family Health Survey 5 (2019-21).
• The progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of zero hunger (including malnutrition) by 2030 is slower than needed.

Use of water resources in Agriculture:

• India has almost 18% of the world’s population but only 4% of global freshwater resources.
• The India’s Central Water Commission (CWC) states that 78% of water is used in agriculture, while FAO estimates it at 90%.
• CWC is a Technical Organization attached to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, responsible for initiating and coordinating schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water resources in India.
• With rising population, and income of people, the need for food and saving water resources for drinking, manufacturing, and urbanization would increase.
• The government lacks enough funds for irrigation, as food and fertilizer subsidies cost more than Rs 4 lakh crore.
• There is a lack of political will to charge for power used in groundwater irrigation by state governments.
• A study at Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) on water productivity of 10 major crops revealed that the land productivity of rice is one of the highest in Punjab, its irrigation water productivity is the lowest.
• Punjab also emits the highest levels of carbon emissions (CO2eq), almost 5 tonnes/ha of paddy cultivation.

Challenges for efficient water usage:

• Structural challenges: Key public and private institutions like agricultural and water ministries, basin authorities, and FPOs (Farmer Producer Organization), often lack the capacity and environment needed for efficiency.
• Major loopholes include deficient policies, inadequate institutional performance, inefficient water allocations to all stakeholders, favoring capital-intensive schemes etc.
• Economic challenges: Distorted incentive frameworks for farmers and inadequate investment in irrigation system maintenance hinder positive developments in the sector.
• Maintainance: Most governments and water users fail to invest in the maintenance of Irrigation and Drainage (I&D) systems, resulting in declined performance and the subsequent need for rehabilitation.
• This enhances the “build-neglect-rehabilitate-neglect” cycle commonly observed in the sector.

Steps for mitigation of water in Agriculture:

• India needs to adopt a two-pronged strategy with respect to water in agriculture.
• For Supply-side reforms, buffer stocking of water in reservoirs (during the monsoon season), and groundwater recharge through check dams and watersheds must be augmented.
• The demand must be fulfilled by rational allocation and efficient use of water across crops.
• The irrigation sector needs institutional reforms, pricing of water and power for irrigation.
• At least 75% of India’s gross cropped area must be irrigated to cope with weather vagaries associated with climate change, as compared to current rate of 50%.
• There is need for huge investments, especially from the private sector for reservoirs and canal networks as water is almost free.
• Climate risk can be mitigated by a paradigm shift from land productivity to water productivity, in order to identify the inefficiencies in the allocation and use of water in agriculture.
• A revamping of policies, farm practices, and products, must be done keeping water at the centre of agriculture.
• Incentives can be introduced for the farmers who switch from water-guzzling crops like paddy and sugarcane to less water-intensive crops like millets, pulses and oilseeds through green-water credits.
• This will create a level playing field across crops, contribute to the environment and nutrition and save Punjab from water disaster as 78% of its blocks over-exploit groundwater.
• Farming practices like Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) and Alternate Wet and Dry (AWD) irrigation, or zero till, etc., can be rewarded for saving water.
• Practice of drip irrigation, especially in sugarcane can save half the water.

Unless we use water efficiently, ensuring sustainable food security is difficult. As the agriculture sector shifts towards a more modern and sustainable approach, use of resilient water services, resource sustainability, and risk management shall be emphasized. This transformation involves governance and service provision reforms, watershed management, and environmental considerations, facilitated by improved incentives, innovation, accountability, and responsible practices.