By Shashi Kant Singh, Partner, Agriculture, PwC India
India inhabits 18 per cent of the world’s population but has only 4 per cent of the global water resources (World Bank Group). Around 89 per cent of the groundwater extracted is used for irrigation (Press Information Bureau). The majority of the population in India is engaged in the agriculture sector, with irrigation playing a pivotal role in shaping the sustainability of the practices. Sustainable practices in agriculture lead to food security and rural livelihoods. The country’s irrigation landscape has developed significantly, from traditional flood irrigation to more progressive techniques. With climate change impacting the water availability and depleting natural resources, efficient usage of irrigation sources has become imperative for a sustainable future. To facilitate this, the Indian government has implemented several incentives to promote smart irrigation systems. As part of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme, a centrally sponsored programme, was introduced in the country from 2015-16 to 2021-22. The objective of the PDMC is to employ micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation for improving water use efficiency in the cultivation process. As of February 2024, an area of 83.46 lakh hectares had been covered under micro-irrigation in the country under the PDMC (Press Information Bureau).
Driving advanced precision in MIS using emerging technologies
Even though there is an increase in area under micro-irrigation systems (MIS) in the country (8 per cent of the irrigated area), its adoption is still low as compared to the US (68.6 per cent) and China (13.7 per cent) (Economic Survey of India, 2024-25). The regional imbalance in micro-irrigation adoption in the country shows significant disparities. Over 75 per cent of micro-irrigation adoption in India has been reported by Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Meanwhile, states like Bihar, Kerala and Goa have reported minimal adoption (Press Information Bureau).
In order to achieve higher efficiency in irrigation systems, it is important to transition towards smarter and more sustainable irrigation solutions. This can be made possible with the use of digital irrigation systems. Such systems make use of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and internet of things (IoT) in order to automate crop irrigation. By factoring in the weather, soil and crop conditions, sensors can be turned on and off to irrigate the field and regulate its moisture content. Sensors help in collecting the relevant data, and once this is processed, decision is taken on whether to turn on the water motor or not. This is possible through smartphones or a web-based interface. Further, data analytics leads to insights on crop health, water use practices and operational efficiency measures, resulting in better decision-making.
Studies have shown that smart irrigation systems can reduce up to 50 per cent of water usage as compared to traditional irrigation practices. Maintaining the water content in the soil and reducing the stress on crops lead to better productivity and healthier crops, especially in high-value produce such as fruits and vegetables. Lower operative costs are also achieved through the reduction in labour requirements and water consumption. Saving resources through these systems helps in developing climate resilience and sustainable food systems.
Promoting the adoption of digital MIS
The Government of India has facilitated the adoption of digital MIS in the country. Under the National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA) programme, funding is given to state governments for digital agriculture projects using emerging technologies. The NeGPA programme was amended in 2020-21, and since then several states have come forward to utilise this amended policy and sanction pilot projects, for example, the real-time irrigation management system (RIMS) in the seed production plots at the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Puducherry, wherein sensor and IoT gadgets are installed to automate the irrigation system.
In line with the digitalisation of the agriculture sector in India, the Union Cabinet Committee recently approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with an outlay of Rs 28.17 billion (Press Information Bureau). The Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture developed under the mission will enable stakeholders in the agriculture ecosystem to establish efficient value chains for agricultural inputs and post-harvest processes, and for developing customised advisory solutions for farmers (Press Information Bureau). Moreover, real-time data from sensors and weather forecasts can help in precise water scheduling, and AI and ML can help analyse data patterns for better irrigation planning. Furthermore, digital platforms like AgriStack and Krishi provide decision support and customised advisory services, leading to efficient water and resource management.
While the stage has been set for digital irrigation in the country, certain challenges still remain. These pertain to high initial costs, absence of technical know-how and lack of robust digital infrastructure in the rural areas of the country. Therefore, the government needs to come up with special interventions in order to scale up the incentives for such projects.
Enhancing micro-irrigation use efficiency with digital solutions
Digital micro-irrigation envisages a major shift in the irrigation space towards a resilient and sustainable future, as the country aims to achieve food and water security and double farmers’ incomes. In order to revolutionise the agriculture sector through smart irrigation technology, a holistic approach is crucial to achieve scalable and sustainable solutions. This can be achieved by integrating smart irrigation technologies such as AI, IoT, weather data and open APIs through AgStack (an open-source digital infrastructure facilitating efficient, data-driven irrigation methods) with the existing farm equipment. Furthermore, the expansion of BharatNet is essential for aiding widespread adoption in rural India. Scaled-up systems generate more data, necessitating robust cloud-based platforms or localised data centres to manage the enhanced load. Agricultural technology hubs, similar to custom hiring centres, can be developed in rural areas to make smart irrigation equipment affordable and accessible for small and marginal farmers. Krishi Vigyan Kendras can also play an important role as smart irrigation hubs, showcasing smart irrigation practices to farmers.
Policies supporting water conservation and partnerships between the government, private players and research institutions are also required to drive widespread adoption. Financial assistance through subsidies and tax incentives can help in making smart technologies more accessible to farmers. Centres of excellence for smart irrigation can help create successful pilot projects and build farmers’ trust. Training and capacity building will play a crucial role in enabling farmers in operating and maintaining technology-driven systems, and help create employment opportunities for the local youth.
Government initiatives such as the PMKSY, NeGPA and the Digital Agriculture Mission can be pivotal in promoting smart irrigation practices. Start-up initiatives in the country such as Startup India; the Startup Accelerator of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development and Growth (SAMRIDH) programme; and the Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development programme under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY-RAFTAAR) can be utilised to focus on developing affordable solutions, which can be scaled up for digital irrigation systems. By leveraging these policies and fostering innovation through start-up programmes, India will be able to move towards building a robust framework to support the widespread adoption of smart irrigation technologies, thus enhancing agricultural sustainability and productivity. Over the years, the focus has been on enhancing water use efficiency through MIS, however, it is an opportune time to shift our attention to enhancing the efficiency of MIS by leveraging digital technologies.
With contribution from Guna Shukla, Director; and Pooja Sharma, Senior Manager, Agriculture, PwC India
