Solar or electric: A comparison of farm profitability for groundwater-fed irrigation under different water development regimes in western zone of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

This study evaluated the economic feasibility of adopting solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) coupled with drip irrigation for coconut cultivation across different water development regimes in Coimbatore district. Results revealed that SPIS adoption led to significantly higher average coconut yields of 18,650 nuts/ha in over-exploited regions, 19,942 nuts/ha in critical + semi-critical regions, and 20,943 nuts/ha in safe regions. Moreover, SPIS demonstrates lower operational costs, with an average annual operational cost of ?44,714/ha compared to ?65840/ha for conventional methods. The total cost was lower for SPIS users across all regimes, with average total costs of ?1,09,607/ha in over-exploited regions, ?1,05,493/ha in critical + semi-critical regions and ?1,07,396/ha in safe regions. These findings enhanced the economic benefits of SPIS with drip irrigation adoption and highlighted the need for targeted policies to overcome initial investment barriers, promoting sustainable agriculture in water-scarce regions of Tamil Nadu.