Water conservation in agriculture: An extension strategies and community participation

Abstract

Agriculture consumes nearly 70% of global freshwater and more than 80% of India's utilisable water resources. As per the Central Ground Water Board (2024) assessment, 11.13% of India's groundwater assessment units remain over-exploited, concentrated mainly in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi. The Economic Survey of India (2024-25) emphasies that improving irrigation efficiency, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, and enhancing water-use efficiency are critical for ensuring long-term agricultural sustainability. Technologies such as micro-irrigation, laser land levelling, rainwater harvesting, and crop diversification can substantially improve water-use efficiency, currently estimated at only 25–35% in Indian agriculture. Community institutions, agricultural extension, and government programmes such as the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana are central to scaling up adoption. Field experience from villages such as Hiware Bazar (Maharashtra) demonstrates that integrating watershed management with strong community participation can sustainably reverse water scarcity.