Abstract:
The present paper focuses attention on the problems of water use in agriculture and the available technologies that can be practiced for improving the irrigation water management and enhancing the efficiency of use of irrigation water with particular reference to the state of Punjab. The viable technologies are suggested through both supply management and demand management. The supply augmentation and management lays emphasis on efficient water conveyance, application and distribution systems; desilting and management of village ponds, artificial recharge of ground water, and conjunctive use of water. The demand management concentrates on improved irrigation practices including sprinkler and drip with fertigation; improved farming technologies such as Sustainable Rice Intensification (SRI) technology; precision land leveling, mulching, crop diversification and use of soil moisture measurements in irrigation scheduling.
