Agro-climatic zones

The following article is based on a field experiment in International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), where low cost farming systems that involve use of biological inputs obtained from the field is compared with conventional farming.

The researchers here discuss the experiences gained from this experiment and those gathered from organic farmers. Further, the authors offer suggestions for future demonstration and verification experiments, to study the virtues of organic  farming.Read More

This paper, part of a larger book 'Biological approaches to sustainable soil systems', reports the results of a field experiment, conducted in Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, where the yields of crops grown by low-cost inputs including plant biomass are compared with chemical fertiliser-induced production.

The study was conducted over 1999-2004, and the findings conclude that the yields of low intensive biological farming are as good, if not better than chemical fertiliser intensive farming.Read More

This paper by Centre for Studies in Social Sciences and Jadavpur University, aims at explaining the factors that determine private investment in groundwater irrigation in West Bengal. It also addresses the issues pertaining to institutional arrangements, particularly provision of facilities by the government. The study, largely empirical in nature, is based on data collected from surveys conducted in close to one thousand moujas (villages) spread across the major agro-climatic zones in West Bengal. It begins with a descriptive account of the changes in the agricultural scenario in West Bengal over the last thirty years. The research questions are discussed and the econometric methodology presented.Read More

As part of its committment to provide safe drinking water to its rural communities, the Karnataka State Government as part of its World Bank-assisted Jal Nirmal Yojana program, implemented through the Karnataka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, took an initiative to adopt a Geographical Information System (GIS) approach to develop a Spatial Information and Knowledge base on groundwater quality of Karnataka.

As part of this effort, a comprehensive study of the quality of groundwater being supplied in rural areas has been taken up and water quality mapping, building of GIS database and profiles have been generated for 27 districts and 175 taluks. For this the chemical analytical data of water samples collected from bore wells in different villages by the Rural Development and Engineering Department (RDED) have been used. In all about 1,54,491 groundwater samples have been collected and analysed for 14 major parameters covering 33,647 villages out of the total 56,682 villages in the state.

This section contains individual district-wise profile files. Each district profile contains district and taluk level information across various study parameters, followed by representation of the analysis of the data through district level GIS maps.

All the district profiles can be downloaded as one single file below.

We acknowledge the support of S Vishwanath (Rainwater Club Bangalore) and Anand Kumar Naidu (Bangalore) in making this publication available on India Water Portal.