Agriculture is backbone of society. For healthy crop timely and sufficient irrigation is necessary. Irrigation is the most important and plays a crucial role in achieving Sustainable Agriculture. As our India, Monsoon Dependent country and there is a need for Irrigation for Agricultural Production and Sustainability. Therefore, lets explore the roles of irrigation in agriculture.
It has been observed that drought prone areas where no agriculture is possible in dry areas and farmers are not able to earn from their field due to lack of irrigation or water.
In irrigated areas farmers usually takes crop for two or three times in a year and earn good amount. They use this earning for next year’s farming. The cycle of prosperity run. In lack of irrigation areas cycle if poverty run which leads to migration, crime and more poverty.
So irrigation plays direct role in agriculture and prosperity.
Roles Of Irrigation In Indian Agriculture
- To provide the water need of crops
- To support the Farmers
- Need of the dams and water storage structures
- Need of Conservation of Water for future generations
- Historical Significance of Agriculture and Irrigation
- To generate the employability options in Irrigation and Agriculture Sectors
Indian Agricultural lands are still dependent on direct rainfall as the means of irrigation are rarely employed by farmers. The dismal part of Indian Agriculture is that the farmers with small landholdings are not financially capable to purchase Irrigation tools.
Irrigation refers to the artificial application of water to soil as well as land and is provided for-
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Growing agricultural crops
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Landscape maintenance
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Revegetation of disturbed soils owing to drying/inadequate rainfall.
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Protecting plants from frost.
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Suppressing weed growth
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Preventing soil consolidation.
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Suppression of dust
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Sewage disposal.
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Mining.
Irrigation is often studied along with drainage. In few cases, Irrigation, when employed in the context of Indian agriculture, can help in all the above activities and can certainly allow for better productivity and profits for the farming community.