An economic evaluation of efficiency and sustainability of Krishnagiri reservoir irrigation project in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

About 35 per cent of the India’s arable lands are irrigated by irrigation project. Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected for the study since the major irrigation in the district is done through Krishnagiri reservoir project having a catchment area of 5428.43 sq.km. It covers a total area of 9012 acres of agricultural land and benefits 26 irrigation tanks on the course of canal. The present study attempts to analyse the economic performance, resource use efficiency of major crops and sustainability of agricultural production for head, middle and tail region. Percentage analysis, Cobb-Douglas production function and sustainability with farm level indicators were the analytical tools used to evaluate the objectives. The results showed that economic performance for head region was high than middle and tail region in productivity. Water productivity is more efficient for crop consuming less water and higher yield productivity than crop consuming less water and lower yield productivity. The net income was higher for jasmine in middle region than head and tail region by 173.47 per cent and 45.22 per cent. Resource use efficiency result showed that human labour was significant in all the three crops. Seed rate and machine hour was found to be significant in paddy and sugarcane cultivation and plant protection chemical was found to be significant in paddy and jasmine cultivation. Thus the resource use efficiency analyses showed that yield of paddy, jasmine and sugarcane responded to the relevant inputs The sustainability result showed that ecological sustainability favoured head and middle region, economic viability favoured head region and social acceptability favoured middle and head region. Economic productivity and sustainability in middle and tail region has to be improved by reallocating and managing the available water among the users to increase the productivity. Hence proper training should be given to the farmers about proper irrigation scheduling and knowledge of improving the management of existing irrigation facilities by the Department of Agriculture.