Internalizing the carbon footprint in rice cultivation through solar irrigation - an economic study in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, India

Carbon footprint in rice cultivation through solar irrigation


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Authors

Keywords:

Solar irrigation, rice cultivation, irrigation water cost, energy footprint, carbon footprint, social carbon cost/ benefit

Abstract

This study attempts to highlight the comparative economic and environmental advantages of solar powered irrigation in terms of cost, energy and carbon footprint over the existing electric operated pumping system in rice cultivation. Multi-stage and snowball sampling methods were used in this study. This study was conducted in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu purposively, as the district has the largest number of energized pumps adopted for irrigation in the state and it will be considered as a second stage. The total sample size of 90 was allotted with a quota of 45 each under electric operated well (EOW) and solar operated well (SOW) category. The cost of irrigation water, energy and carbon footprints were indirectly assessed in this study using some imputation procedures. The hours of irrigation were higher in the case of solar due to lesser horse powered motors and energy rationing is not the binding constraint in SOW unlike EOW. The per liter cost of water output was higher in the case of electric with subsidy and same was higher in the case of solar in without subsidy scenario comparisons. The hours of pumping and imputed energy consumption were higher for rice in the case of SOW compared to EOW. The energy consumption per ha decreased with increasing HPs both in the case of SOW and EOW due to economies of scale operation. The inclusion of social carbon cost in the economic analysis showed that the net income in SOW was higher without any compromise in rice production. In with social carbon cost / benefit scenario, the irrigation cost share was lesser in SOW compared to EOW. Hence it was construed that the SOW internalize the carbon footprints and serve as an important mitigating tool in confronting upcoming climate change risks. The policy makers must pay attention in promoting the subsidized SOW in agriculture, considering the negative and positive externalities involved in these two sources of irrigation.

Author Biographies

  • NANDHINI V, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University

    Myself, Nandhini. V from the Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of agriculture, Annamalai University. I am doing my research under the specialization of Natural Resource and Environmental Economics.

    From the specialization,

             1) I did my PG thesis in the topic of "Economic Efficiency of Solar and Electric Powered Well Irrigation Systems in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu" related to the same specialization.

             2) Now, I am doing my research (Ph. D.) in the topic of "Energy and Carbon Footprints for Irrigation Water in Solar and Electric Powered Groundwater Pumping Regimes – An Environmental Economic Study in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu" and it's mainly related to the nexus of renewable energy (solar energy)-non renewable energy-groundwater irrigation- food production- carbon emission. 

    Fellowship and Qualified:

             1) I got a doctoral full time fellowship for my Ph. d. research from the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi for my research.

             2) I am qualified with ASRB NET in the year of 2023.

    Publication, Participation and Presentation:

             I published 2 book chapters, one article in indexed journal and a popular article published in a magazine and the total numbers of participation and presentation in the conferences, seminars, workshops and colloquium is 26.

     

  • Dr. R. VENKATARAMAN , Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University

    He is done his research (Ph. D.) under the specialization of Natural Resources and Environmental Economics

    Publication, Presentation and Participation:

    He published around 30 articles in both national  and international indexed journals. He is done almost three projects in state and central level as a PI and Co- PI. He is presented and participated in various conferences, seminars, workshops in national and international levels and it's around 52. He is delivered special lectures and chairperson in various conferences, seminars, workshops and it's around 20.

    Reviewer:

    He is a reviewer (referee) in the "Indian Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Research" and "The Mysore Journal of Agricultural Sciences".

     

  • Dr. V. BANUMATHY , Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University

    She is done her research (Ph. D.) under the specialization of Agricultural Marketing and Supply Chain Management.

    She is published around 25 articles in both national  and international indexed journals. She is done two minor projects. She is presented and participated in the various conferences, seminars, workshops in national and international levels and she is published a book related to agricultural economics.

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Submitted

2024-01-02

Published

2024-06-24

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Section

Articles

How to Cite

V, N., R. VENKATARAMAN, & V BANUMATHY. (2024). Internalizing the carbon footprint in rice cultivation through solar irrigation - an economic study in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu, India: Carbon footprint in rice cultivation through solar irrigation. ORYZA-An International Journal of Rice, 61(2), 190-198. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/OIJR/article/view/146263

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