Depleting groundwater: Why India needs to rethink many agri practices
Major crops like sugarcane, rice, cotton, and wheat are becoming more and more difficult to cultivate, given their water-intensive nature.
The 2023 WELL Labs report noted: “A sustainable transition to a less water-intensive crop will require the setting up of strong market linkages for alternatives… Otherwise, the groundwater status in most parts of the district will continue to remain critical and overexploited.” Crops like jowar, millet or bajra, ragi and other millets, pulses and lentils, vanilla, black pepper etc. use relatively very little water and can be promoted in areas struggling with depleting water tables.
Acknowledgements
Samrat Sharma for India Today.
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