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The groundwater potential of the gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India? (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks (UPSC IAS Mains 2024 General Studies Paper – 1)
The Gangetic Valley plays a pivotal role in India’s total food production. However, this vital region faces a severe decline in groundwater levels due to over-extraction and unsustainable agricultural practices, jeopardising its ability to sustain crop yields and, consequently, the food security of millions across the nation.
Reasons for declining groundwater potential in gangetic valley
- Overextraction: Eg. CGWB noted rural areas in Gangetic Valley rely 70% on groundwater leading to unsustainable extraction rates.
- Urbanization: has increased impermeable surfaces, reducing natural groundwater recharge and increasing runoff. Eg- As per Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) data, city harvests only 10 percent of the rainwater while the rest 90 percent drains away wasted.
- Pollution: Contamination from agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, and inadequate waste management reduces the quality and usability of groundwater resources.
- Land Use Changes: Modifications in land use, such as deforestation and conversion of land especially at Himalayan foothills for agriculture or urban development, disrupt the natural hydrological cycle and groundwater recharge processes.
- Climate Change: Variability in precipitation patterns due to climate change affects the natural recharge of groundwater systems, leading to periods of both drought and flooding, which make rainfall unable to recharge groundwater.
Groundwater Decline Impact on food security
- Declining food production – Punjab and Haryana produce 50 percent of the country’s rice supply and 85 percent of its wheat stocks.
- Declining food productivity: over 85% of Groundwater extracted is used for agriculture. Eg- 1-meter decline in groundwater from its long-term mean results in an approximately 8 percent reduction in food grain production.
- Shift in Cropping Patterns – Shifting from traditional crops like wheat and rice to less water-demanding options, such as millets and pulses, may not meet India’s food demand, risking staple availability and increasing prices.
- Food Inflation – A decline in agricultural productivity due to groundwater depletion can lead to higher food prices, disproportionately affecting the poor and vulnerable populations, thus threatening food affordability.
- Increased farm distress because of reduced groundwater availablity leading to crop failures, reduced farmer income and indebtedness, leading to depeasantization further impacting food production.
- Land degradation and desertification due to overuse of groundwater which leads to alkaline and saline soil declining production of wheat and rice which are sensitive to alkalinity and over salinity. Eg. Lands of western UP, Haryana, Punjab
It is crucial for government agencies, local communities, and various stakeholders to collaborate effectively in addressing this issue to ensure the long-term viability of water resources in the region.
POSTED ON 18-02-2025 BY ADMIN
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