Command Area Development and Management Strategies in a Coastal Region

Abstract

Command area development and management strategies were attempted in Nagpur minor canal in a coastal district of Puri, Odisha (India) under Puri canal system. Benchmarking of the irrigation system was carried out considering domains of system performance, agricultural productivity and financial aspects. Under system performance, the results revealed that seasonal irrigation water supply per unit command area is 73% less than the designed supply of 20970 m³ ha^-1. Under agricultural productivity for paddy crop as expressed in market based output versus supplied water was computed as 18% less, when it is computed as Rs. 9.9 m³ (considering MSP of paddy Rs. 1410 q^-1 during 2015-16; average crop yield of 3.9 t ha^-1 and actual water supply of 5565 m³ ha^-1). Similarly, under financial performance expressed as cost - recovery ratio was obtained as 0.1 only. The irrigation efficiency under surface irrigation methods (check basin, furrow and raised bed furrow) in different crops was observed to the tune of 35-60% which could be improved up to 80–90% using pressurized irrigation (pipe conveyance, drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation) in upper, middle and tail reach of the minor. The results of the study reveal that the use of pressurized irrigation, which could increase the irrigation efficiency and water productivity is one of the potential options for sustainable crop production in water scarce canal command area of coastal Odisha.