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Water Footprint, Water Use, Groundwater Conservation and Irrigation Water-Use Parameters in India

Sambita Bhattacharyya^1*, Sumit Gaur¹ and Shivam Rana²   

1,2 Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology Pantnagar, Uttarakhand -263145, India

Corresponding author: sambitabhattacharyya@gmail.com

Abstract

Water scarcity has emerged as a major challenge to sustainable agricultural production and food security in India, where agriculture accounts for nearly 85–90 percent of total freshwater withdrawals. This chapter examines key concepts and analytical frameworks related to agricultural water management, with particular emphasis on water footprint, virtual water, crop water use, irrigation water-use parameters, and groundwater conservation. The water footprint approach, incorporating green, blue, and grey water components, is discussed as a comprehensive tool for assessing both water consumption and pollution associated with crop production. The concept of virtual water is explored to highlight the hidden flow of water embedded in agricultural commodities and its implications for trade and regional water scarcity. The chapter further elaborates methods for estimating crop evapotranspiration, irrigation requirement, irrigation water use efficiency, water productivity, and economic water productivity, supported by numerical illustrations to demonstrate practical application. Special attention is given to groundwater use in India, which supports a majority of irrigated agriculture but is increasingly threatened by over-extraction and declining water tables. Key groundwater conservation strategies, including micro-irrigation, crop diversification, artificial recharge, and improved governance, are discussed. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for an integrated, demand-side, and technology-driven approach to water management that aligns agricultural production with regional water availability, enhances water productivity, and ensures long-term water and food security in India.

Keywords: Water footprint; Virtual water; Irrigation water use efficiency; Crop evapotranspiration; Groundwater conservation; Water productivity; Sustainable water management; Indian agriculture