The groundwater potential of the gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India? (250 words)
The Gangetic Valley, known for its fertile soil and abundant water resources, has witnessed a significant decline in groundwater levels, with a drop of 60% in some regions between 2002-2023 . This poses a serious threat to agricultural sustainability, directly impacting India’s food security.
Impact on Food Security:
- Reduced Crop Yield: Groundwater is crucial for irrigation in the Gangetic Valley, contributing to 40% of India’s total food grain production . The decline hampers irrigation, leading to reduced crop yields, especially water-intensive crops like rice and wheat.
- Loss of Multiple Cropping: Farmers in the region practice multi-cropping due to reliable groundwater. With depletion, they may shift to single cropping, significantly reducing annual production.
- Shift to Less Water-Intensive Crops: Depleting groundwater forces farmers to cultivate less water-intensive crops, affecting staple food production and pushing up prices, impacting food affordability and accessibility.
- Increased Input Costs: Lower groundwater availability forces farmers to dig deeper wells or invest in expensive irrigation techniques. This increases production costs, eventually leading to higher food prices.
- Threat to Livelihoods: Over 80% of small and marginal farmers rely on groundwater for irrigation in this region . Reduced groundwater can lead to crop failure, threatening their livelihoods and thereby affecting overall food production.
- Decline in Dairy Production: Groundwater depletion affects fodder crops like maize and bajra. This can reduce dairy production, impacting protein availability in diets and thereby food security.
- Increased Vulnerability to Droughts: Lower groundwater levels reduce resilience against droughts. The Gangetic Valley, a primary food-producing area, will face more severe crop failures during dry spells.
Conclusion:
Immediate sustainable water management practices, rainwater harvesting, and crop diversification are vital to reverse this decline and ensure India’s food security.
