Karnataka stands at the eighth place in geographical area and ninth in population in the country. The state has cultivable land of 101 lakh hectares, of which 40 lakh hectares are irrigated. Annually, more than one crop is raised in 21 lakh hectares.
The population is around seven crore, of which 60% is rural and 40% urban. Around 80 lakh have agriculture land holding, 90% of whom are small and marginal farmers.
Agriculture crops are grown during kharif, rabi and summer seasons. Agriculture crops are grown in around 80 lakh hectares, while horticulture crops in around 25 lakh hectares, in 10 agricultural zones.
Irrigation in Karnataka
Coastal Karnataka receives 4,000 mm of rain with 120 rainy days, while interior Karnataka, 400 mm with 35-40 rainy days.
Krishna and Cauvery basins provide water for multi-purposes, while west-flowing rivers are mainly for electricity generation. The remaining rivers flow for short distances.
The state government has undertaken large, medium and small irrigation projects. Four irrigation corporations - Krishna Jala Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd (KBJNL), Karnataka Niravari Nigam Ltd (KNNL), Visvesvaraya Jala Nigam Ltd (VJNL) and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) – work under the water resource department.
In addition, farmers have installed nearly 30 lakh pumpsets. Totally, 40 lakh hectares Irrigation potential has been created, while nearly 60% of agriculture land is rain-fed.
The Cauvery water Dispute Tribunal (CWDT), in its final verdict, allocated 270 tmcft of water to Karnataka, while also ordering the state to release 192 tmcft annually to Tamil Nadu. The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-II) allocated 907 tmcft of water to Karnataka in its final verdict which is 273 tmcft more than 734 tmcft allocated by KWDT-I. In all, Karnataka gets 907 tmcft. The height of Almatti dam is to be increased from 519 metre to 524.286 metre.
Impact of agriculture and irrigation on state economy
Agriculture and Irrigation are the lifeline of Karnataka. We are all aware that the state’s economy was sustainable during Covid because of agriculture.
This year, the monsoon has been good and reservoirs are full. The targeted sowing area has been achieved and water supply is sufficient in the command area. That is the reason the yield of cereals has reached 125 lakh tonne, pulses 22 lakh tonne, oil seeds 13 lakh tonne, cotton 24 lakh bales, sugarcane 700 lakh tonne, fruits 55 lakh tonne, vegetables 86 lakh tonne, plantation crops 10 lakh tonne, spices 8 lakh tonne, milk 30 million litres and fish 12 lakh tonne. Despite good overall agriproduce, tur yield was affected because of untimely rain.
Agriculture contributes around 16-17% of GSDP.
Irrigation facilities help farmers achieve expected yields and insulate them during drought years. Apart from creating an evergreen revolution, irrigation has also facilitated allied agricultural activities like animal husbandry, poultry, pisciculture, sheep raising etc.
The central government is facilitating agriculture by introducing schemes like Kisan Samman, Krishi Sinchayi, NFSM, Solar KUSUM Yojana etc, Karnataka is also extending facilities like Krishi Bhagya, PMKSY, NFSM, Kisan credit card, Interest-free crop loans, secondary agriculture, SC/ST schemes, Surya Raitha Scheme etc.
Majority of the population in the state depends on agriculture. In irrigated areas, employment opportunities are more and steady income is assured. That is the reason the population density is high in these areas. Per capita income is more in irrigated and plantation areas than in rain-fed areas.
Karnataka is next only to Rajasthan in rain-fed agriculture in India. Such agriculture leads to uncertainty over yields, and farmers are forced to emigrate to cities for earning opportunities. This year, the production was high, but market prices especially for cereals – paddy, jowar and bajra – went below the minimum support price (MSP). Such fluctuating prices are making it difficult for farmers to come out of the vicious loan cycle.
Here are some suggestions to empower farmers
1. To overcome the effects of drought, the government should help farmers build water tanks. A pond of 100x100 sqft with 30 ft depth can store 0.00002 tmcft of water. 5,000 such tanks can hold 1 tmcft of water. Each tank will cost around Rs 3 lakh. These tanks will be decentralised reservoirs. The government must extend a 50% subsidy to farmers to build such tanks.
2. The state government should procure cereals without any limit to avoid buying them, like rice, from other states.
3. At present, the state exports mango, pomegranate, gherkin, rose onion and spices like chilli pepper etc. The government should give more incentives to promote exports by exploring markets abroad. This will earn the state more foreign currency.
4. The PM Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance scheme) should be made compulsory to all farmers and implemented effectively.
5. To avoid seed adulteration and shortage, the government should promote research to develop improved varieties.
6. The central government should enact the Statutory Minimum Price Act (SMP) instead of the present minimum support price (MSP).
7. The government can make agriculture predictable with the help of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Predicting agri-market prices before sowing will definitely empower farmers.
8. In rural areas, unemployed and under-employed youth should be provided with soft loans without the guarantor and asset encumbrance.
9. The central government should look at GST and ensure that there are no taxes on production. Agricultural implements should be taken out of the tax regime.
10. The central government should establish a commission on industrial commodity cost and pricing (CICCP) on the lines of the Commission on Agriculture Cost and Pricing (CACP) to avoid price exploitation of consumers by industrialists and businessmen.
11. Agricultural commodities are trading in the buyers’ market, while industrial commodities are in the sellers’ market. The farmer is being exploited while he is selling his produce and purchasing for his needs. Farmers should be empowered to sell finished products rather than intermediate products, for example rice instead of paddy, flour or processed products instead of jowar, ragi grains etc.
I am of the firm opinion that sustainable agriculture is the lifeline of all the people and economy of the state.