Determining the agricultural water-saving potential using various water-saving measures

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the agricultural water-saving potential using various water-saving measures in the four districts of Haryana state namely Bhiwani, Sirsa, Rewari and Yamunanagar. Methodology: Data of 120 farmers from each district has been collected by using purposive and multi stage random sampling method. Further the SPSS 26.0 has been used to analyze the data. Findings: This study evaluated agricultural water-saving potential across districts by comparing water consumption and productivity under different irrigation methods. Results indicate that drip irrigation generally reduced water use but showed mixed yield outcomes, with higher efficiencies in mustard, pearl millet, and wheat, and limited gains in cotton. Canal irrigation in Sirsa consistently outperformed borewell irrigation, achieving higher productivity with lower water use, particularly for wheat. Flood irrigation remained dominant for rice and sugarcane, exhibiting high water consumption per unit output. Overall, irrigation efficiency varied significantly by crop, district, and method, highlighting the need for location-specific water management strategies.