Paddy Yield Enhancement By Water Management-A Study In Sivagangai District Of Tamil Nadu

Abstract As population increases that need more food production and other activities like industrialization power generation etc for which scarce water should be economically utilized. Irrigation is the key input in crop production. Full benefit of crop production technologies such as high yielding varieties fertilizer use and multiple cropping and plant protection measures can be derived only when adequate supply of water is assured. The irrigation infrastructure that is the backbone of the irrigated areas is in considerable need of modernization and a new paradigm for operations and maintenance. The Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water-Bodies Restoration and Management IAMWARM project has been formulated converging the roles of all the line departments. The project aims to improve the service delivery and productivity of irrigated agriculture with effective integrated water resources management in a sub-basin framework in Tamil Nadu with the many broad objectives. A study was contemplated to understand the economic impact of irrigation intervention and scope to improve it in Sivagangai district. The main objectives of the study were i to assess the impact of water bodies restoration in the study area on water level in open wells ii to assess the impact of water bodies restoration in the study area on water level in bore wells and iii to assess the impact of the project on the yield and income. 225 farmers were selected for the study following at five stage sampling procedure in which random sampling was followed in the last three stages. Impact on groundwater level was 22.84 per cent increase in the open well and 25.06 per cent increase in the bore well. Paddy yield has increased by 5.23 per cent and it was 3.50 per cent for chillies. Net benefit realized by the entire sample respondents by participating in the IAMWARM project was . 260236. Difference in paddy yield between project villages and non project villages was 839.50 Kg.ha in the vaigai system fed tank area. It was 41.68 kg.ha for cotton. Net gain received by the sample respondents for cotton in the project village over non project village was . 187826. In the rainfed tank irrigated farms difference in paddy yield between project villages and non project villages was 452.30 Kg.ha. It was 41.68 kg.ha for chillies. Net gain received by the sample farmers in the project village over non project village was . 66214. IAMWARM project had good impact in terms of groundwater recharge yield and income at arm level.