The groundwater potential of the Gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India?

Introduction:

• The Gangetic Valley, part of the Indo-Gangetic Plains, is one of India’s most fertile regions, contains vast alluvial tracts with huge shallow aquifers, densely populated and agriculturally productive regions crucial for food production. 
• Can Add Map Showing Gangetic Valley and ground water stress area, like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi

The groundwater potential of the Gangetic Valley is declining due to:

• Over-extraction: Excessive withdrawal for agriculture, industry, and domestic use.
• Agricultural Practices: High water demand from water-intensive crops.
• Population Growth: Increased water demand from a rising population.
• Urbanisation: More impervious surfaces reduce groundwater recharge.
• Pollution: Contamination from fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial effluents.
• Climate Change: Altered rainfall patterns and higher evaporation rates.
• Inefficient Water Management: Poor irrigation practices and lack of conservation strategies.

Impact on Food Security:

• Reduced Agricultural Productivity:Groundwater is a key source of irrigation- over 85% of extracted GW is used for irrigation purposes.
  • Declining water levels will directly reduce the production of water-intensive crops like wheat, rice, and sugarcane leading to lower yields and reduced food production.
• Shift in Crop Patterns: From traditional crops to less water-demanding ones, potentially affecting staple crop availability and pushing up food prices.
  • Example: Shifting from wheat or rice to millets or pulses, which may not meet the large food demand.
  • Currently 80% of foodgrains are procured by the government. under MSP consist of Rice and Wheat which are crucial to ensure right to food under NFSA.
• Threat to the Green Revolution Gains: which was heavily reliant on groundwater-fed irrigation systems. Decline in groundwater levels threatens to reverse these gains, potentially leading to food shortages and dependence on food imports.
  • Example: In 2022, the Global Food Security Index ranked India at 68th out of the 113 major countries in terms of food security.
• Increased Farmer Distress: leading to crop failures, indebtedness, and reduced farm incomes may lead to depeasantization further impacting food production stability.
• Land Degradation and Desertification: Excess groundwater extraction→ leads to alkalinity and sodicity of Soils→negatively affects crop growth and yields. 
  • Crops sensitive to salinity, like wheat and rice, suffer lower productivity, directly impacting food supply.
  • E.g., Western Uttar Pradesh: Areas like the Meerut district face severe sodicity due to improper irrigation and Ground water extraction.
• Impact on Allied Sectors:
  • Livestock farming, horticulture, and fisheries, which are dependent on groundwater, will also face challenges, reducing overall food availability and diversity.

Way Forward to Address Groundwater Decline: 

• Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Promoting drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, and crop diversification toward less water-intensive crops.
• Groundwater Recharge Programs:
  • Implementing projects to recharge groundwater through rainwater harvesting and restoring wetlands.
  • Artificial recharge
  • Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR)
  • Percolation ponds especially in hard rock formations.
• Policy and Governance Reforms: Strengthening water management policies, enforcing groundwater regulation, and incentivizing sustainable water usage in agriculture.

Conclusion:

The decline in groundwater potential in the Gangetic Valley poses a serious threat to India’s food security. Urgent measures are needed to manage groundwater sustainably and adapt agricultural practices to ensure long-term food security in the country.

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