AbstractsGeography &GIS

Water is a scarce natural resource and vital for life plays key role in the growth and development of human society It is an essential input to agricultural production systems for food and fibre The growing human population keeps this demand increases and forces to produce more food with the limited natural resources of land and water India s population will be 1 40 billion by the year 2025 and domestic food grain demand during the period estimated to be as 241 to 245 million tonne The scope of meeting the growing demand of water for food through more intensive use of water resources is limited as its already been reached the maximum withdrawal from the river basins Also there is need to provide the water for the domestic industrial and environmental demand which will reduce the water availability of irrigated agriculture Hence it is difficult to withdraw additional water from the natural resources for production of food for future In that case agriculture production must focus on the improvement of water productivity newlineWater productivity focuses on more crops per unit of water According to Molden 1997 and Molden et al 2003 water productivity means quantum of production per unit water used In field level the major factors affecting water productivity are type of crops soil cultivation season method of irrigation and groundwater level newline newline%%%reference p148-157.