Impact of Irrigation Water Shortage on Yield, Income and Employment of Farm Households in Tungabhadra Command Area of Karnataka

Abstract

The study examined the impact of irrigation water shortage on yield, income and employment of farm households in Tungabhadra command area in Gangavathi taluk of Karnataka. Based on the extent of net irrigated area under canal, Gangavathi taluk of Koppal district was selected for the study. A total of 120 households among which 40 respondents from each water access regimes (head reach, mid reach and tail-end reach) were selected. The required field data pertaining to the year 2016-17 was collected through personal interview. The average gross annual household income of head reach farmers before and after water shortage (2015) was INR 6,35,293 and INR 5,59,970, respectively. Whereas, in tail-end reach, the average gross annual household income before and after water shortage was INR 5,66,263 and INR 4,19,895, respectively. The annual household employment in all the three regimes was affected due to irrigation water deficits but it was more significant in middle-reach regime. Bore wells and ponds acted as a supplementary source of irrigation in periods of water shortages. A good coordination should be built between different line departments in managing the water resources in the Tungabhdra basin and it should be coordinated in proper direction. There is a need for common vision and plan for water management based on administrative boundaries.