ADOPTION OF MICRO IRRIGATION IN INDIA: FACTORS AND POLICIES - Management, Performance, and Applications of Micro Irrigation Systems - page 5

The huge initial investment, small size of holding, lack of technical support, crop-
ping pattern, access to water and socioeconomic conditions of farmers, etc., [11] are
major factors infl uencing adoption of drip irrigation. In some cases, even after the
adoption of drip irrigation, the farmers, particularly, the small farmers found to discon-
tinue drip irrigation for several reasons such as lack of maintenance, irrelevant cultural
background, and unreliable water supply [4]. Though there are many studies attempted
to identify factors limiting the adoption of drip irrigation, still, it is not clear where
should we promote micro irrigation.
In this context, the drip irrigation has received much attention from policy makers
and others for its perceived ability to contribute signifi cantly to groundwater resources
development, agricultural productivity, economic growth, and environmental sustain-
ability. Yet in many parts of the country and elsewhere, they have yet to be widely
adopted. Also, it is crucial to determine/locate the areas where the micro irrigation
should be encouraged and promoted.
Keeping these issues in view, this chapter addresses following important issues:
(i) What changes the drip irrigation brings to the farming system?
(ii) Whether the adoption of drip irrigation is motivated by the cropping pattern or
the cropping pattern is followed by drip adoption?
(iii) What factors limit/enhance the adoption of drip irrigation systems? and
(iv) What policy action must be taken at different levels to speed up the adoption
of drip irrigation and groundwater development?
1.2 METHODOLOGY
1.2.1 THE LOCATION AND DATA
The study was conducted in the Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, India where
groundwater resource degradation is alarming. Two blocks were selected so as to rep-
resent drip adoption and control. From the selected blocks, two revenue villages were
selected purposively where the adoption of drip irrigation is widespread. Farm house-
holds in the selected villages constituted the sample units. To examine the adoption
and impact of drip irrigation on resource use, agricultural production and farm income,
25 drip-adopting farmers were selected in each village and correspondingly 25 nond-
rip adopters were selected in control villages.
To select the drip adopters, the list of farmers from the Department of Agricultural
Engineering was collected. Also, we enumerated the list of farmers adopting drip ir-
rigation after discussions with the villagers and private fi rms dealing drip irrigation
systems. Thus, a sample of 100 farmers was studied. For the purpose of the study,
interview schedules were formulated and pretested. The needed information from the
respondent group was gathered personally administering the interview schedule. The
primary information collected from the farm households included details on well in-
vestment, groundwater use, extraction and management, crop production including
input use and output realized, farm income, adoption of drip irrigation, and investment
on drip irrigation. This also included asset position, education and other socioeco-
nomic conditions.