This document examines the food-energy-irrigation nexus in three Indian states - West Bengal, Punjab, and Karnataka. It finds that while the broad issues are the same across states, with agriculture dependent on unsustainable groundwater extraction and electricity subsidies, each state manages this nexus differently. West Bengal has implemented a hi-tech metering system with time-of-day pricing that has improved efficiency. Punjab has taken steps like rationing that have reduced losses but subsidy burdens rise. Karnataka shows utter mismanagement as groundwater extraction and pumps continue increasing rapidly. Effective management of this nexus depends on political will and governance that states like West Bengal and Punjab have demonstrated to some extent but is lacking in Karnataka

1. Innovations in
managing the
agriculture-
groundwater and
energy nexus
Evidence from three
states in India
Aditi Mukherji, IWMI
Photo Davidvan Cakenberghe/IWMI
Photo: :Tom van Cakenberghe/IWMI
Tom Brazier/IWMI
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2. The irrigation story of India….
Since 1970s,
groundwater
irrigated area has
increased, as has
number of wells and
tubewells….
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3. Water for a food-secure world
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4. Water for a food-secure world
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5. Water for a food-secure world
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6. Water for a food-secure world
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7. Rising contribution of groundwater in agriculture
% of Agricultural GDP
60
1970-73
40
20
BUT, depletion, scarcity
and over-exploitation have
0
emerged as serious problems
Percentage to Agricultural GDP
1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161 181 201 221 241
Districts
60
2000-03
40
20
0
1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161 181 201 221 241
Districts
% contribution of SWI to Agricultural GDP % contribution of GWI to Agricultural GDP

8. Leading to groundwater over-exploitation in many states……
Districts depicted in red
and yellow are the
districts with over-
exploitation problems

9. Growth in electricity consumption in agriculture has
outpaced growth in other sectors
There has been 12 fold
increase in overall
electricity demand in
India from 1950 to 2010,
but 25 fold increase in
agricultural electricity
demand
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10. Electricity subsidy as percentage of state fiscal deficits is
very high in some states
Bihar
West Bengal Agriculture is often blamed for
U.P (Power corp) poor state of electricity utilities
Maharashtra
Punjab
Tamil Nadu
Rajasthan (Transco)
Karnataka Yet farmers receive
Andhra Pradesh poor quality service
Gujarat
Haryana
Madhya Pradesh
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percentage
BRISCOE, 2005, Data pertains to 2002

11. And requirement for subsidy keeps rising…
Net electricity
subsidy in India is
close to USD 9 billion
and is rising year by
year
Source: ICRA

12. Farmers get free or highly subsidized electricity in
most states (though not all).
2500 2160
2000
Rs/HP/Year
1512
1500
850
1000
420
500
0
0
Punjab Haryana Gujarat Uttarakhand West Bengal
States
Flat rate tariff (Rs/HP/year)
Even when farmers pay for electricity, they pay it on a flat tariff basis. Only
exception is the state of West Bengal where agricultural tubewells are
Metered and farmers pay a time of the day (TOD) tariff

13. But then, there is the energy divide: Farmers in eastern India depend
pre-dominantly on diesel pumps, while rest of India has electric pumps
So the food-
energy-
irrigation nexus
is also different
in east vs. rest
of India
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14. To sum up…what is this food-irrigation and energy
nexus?
• India’s irrigation sector is dependent on groundwater
• Much of this groundwater is pumped using electricity
• Groundwater use is more than sustainable recharge in most
states leading to groundwater over-exploitation
• Electricity is subsidized in most (though not all) states
• This creates a nexus where one sector (agriculture) is
dependent on unsustainable trends groundwater and
electricity sectors
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15. The Food-Energy Support price policy/
Assured market
AGRICULTURE
Irrigation Nexus Re-aligning food procurement
Choice of crops
Uncertain markets for
policiesdiversification
crop
Providing incentives to grow low
Agriculture
water consuming crops
Better field water management
techniques
Ene
ific er
n
rgy
atio
t
Wa d Agr
wa
an
und
s ta
ers
ge/ cultur
Gro
div
Mis
i
ng
op
dire Subsi
leti
Water-
f cr
Dep
cte
Energy -
e
ko
Agriculture
d
Lac
Nexus
die
s
ELECTRICITY and
Low recoveries
GROUNDWATER low investment in
Limited reach of Demand side management
infrastructure
GW laws and regulations
surface irrigation/ Supply management through
Supply augmentation
uncertain rainfall
rationing Poor quality and
unreliable power
Lucrative through MAR
Groundwater Long hours of pumping Energy
Increasing efficiency of Supply
groundwater Demand management pumps
markets
Low awareness community
Wastage of water and energy
through Highly subsidised/
Institutional reforms
regarding optimal free power
participation
irrigation

16. How are different states in India managing this
nexus through energy side interventions?
• West Bengal – Eastern India
• Punjab – Northern India
• Karnataka – Southern India
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17. West Bengal: Alluvial aquifers, low
groundwater use and high recharge
Water tables recover after
monsoons and average
depth to water table in 88%
of villages less than 10 m.
42% of GW resources are
used and none of the blocks
are over-exploited
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18. Managing the nexus in West Bengal through
Universal TOD and hi-tech metering
• Universal Time of the Day (TOD) metering of all agricultural
tubewells in the state. Till March 2010, 90% TWs metered
• High tech metering with remotely read meters

19. Impacts of metering
Pump owners:
Largely winners
 Same hours of pumping
for own use– Less
electricity bill
 Less hour of selling water
– Higher or same revenue
Higher bargaining power
vis-à-vis water buyers
Win – win situation

20. Water buyers:
Losers
 Increase in water charges by 30-50%
 Lesser hours sold by pump owners
 Adverse terms & condition of buying water

21. Groundwater
use efficiency:
Winner
 Increased adoption of plastic pipes for
conveyance
 Better maintenance of field channels
Construction of underground pipelines
But will it save water?

22. Food-irrigation-energy nexus in Punjab
Unsustainable rates of GW depletion Rice Wheat crop combination matches
over-exploited zones in Punjab
WRSu
WR WMRSu
WR
WR
WRM
WR
WRC WRC
WR
WR
CR
Rice-Wheat Crop System in Punjab
is at the heart of its agrarian prosperity CROP COMBINATIONS
and also contributes to its GW crisis TWO CROP COMBINATION
THREE CROP COMBINATION
FOUR CROP COMBINATION
Alluvial aquifers and low rainfall

23. Steps taken by Punjab to manage the nexus
These measures are reasonably
successful in improving quality of
electricity to farmers, but severe
rationing pushes them to use
diesel. Fiscal discipline within the
utilities has improved. Has not
affected crop yields adversely yet.

24. Transmission and distribution losses have
reduced marginally…
T&D losses based
on AP
T&D loss level consumption
T&D loss level fixed reported by the approved by the
Year by the Commission Board Commission
2004-05 23.25 24.27 24.59
2005-06 22 25.07 25.38
2006-07 20.75 23.92 24.25
2007-08 19.5 22.53 25.12
2008-09 19.5 19.92 22.21
2009-10 22 19.5 22
2010-11 20 18 19.5
2011-12 19
2012-13 18
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25. But subsidy burden for agricultural
consumption keeps rising….
This is because the state keeps
issuing new electricity
connections for farmers. There
are 1.1 million farm households
and around 1.2 million electric
pumps in the state!
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26. Food-energy-irrigation nexus in Karnataka
Area under groundwater irrigation continues to
rise…
As does number of electric pumpsets..
Hard rock aquifers and low rainfall

27. (Mis) managing Food-Energy-Irrigation Nexus in
Karnataka
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28. Conclusions
• While the broad issues are same, different states
have managed this nexus differently
• Ranging from very hi-tech and text-book solution
in West Bengal, to second best solution in Punjab
to utter anarchy in Karnataka
• Much depends on political will and overall
governance at state level since both water and
electricity are state subjects in India
Water for a food-secure world
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29. Thank You
a.mukherji@cgiar.org
Water for a food-secure world
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