ICAR identifies water stress and cropping-pattern mismatches across key agricultural states; micro-irrigation and diversification could reshape the country’s future food supply

Key Highlights

• ICAR identifies a mismatch between crop water demand and groundwater availability in several major agricultural states.
• Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu face particular water-stress concerns.
• Nearly 2.89 million hectares of rice are cultivated in districts receiving less than 650 mm annual rainfall.
• Around 0.721 million hectares of sugarcane are grown in districts receiving less than 700 mm annual rainfall.
• Government is promoting pulses, oilseeds, millets and horticultural crops as relatively lower-water alternatives.
• Micro-irrigation, drip fertigation, AI- and sensor-based irrigation and climate-resilient farming are being promoted to improve water-use efficiency.

India is stepping up efforts to diversify cropping patterns and improve irrigation efficiency as water stress and declining groundwater levels increasingly challenge agricultural sustainability across several parts of the country.

An assessment by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has identified a mismatch between the water requirements of existing cropping patterns and groundwater availability, particularly in Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The findings are based on data from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and monthly gridded GRACE satellite data. The assessment is being used to identify alternative cropping systems suited to local agro-climatic conditions, water availability, resources and market opportunities.

The information was provided by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Rice and sugarcane cultivation under water stress

Rice, sugarcane, cotton and jute are among India’s major water-intensive crops and together account for around 62.7 million hectares, or nearly one-third of the country’s gross cropped area.

ICAR’s assessment found that around 2.89 million hectares of rice are cultivated across 68 districts receiving less than 650 mm of annual rainfall. This represents approximately 5.67% of India’s total rice area of 51 million hectares.

Similarly, about 0.721 million hectares of sugarcane are cultivated across 91 districts receiving less than 700 mm of annual rainfall, accounting for around 10.76% of the country’s total sugarcane area of 6.7 million hectares.

The findings provide a scientific basis for promoting location-specific crop diversification, particularly in regions facing recurring water shortages and falling groundwater levels.

Government pushes pulses, oilseeds and millets

The government is encouraging farmers to shift, where suitable, from water-intensive crops towards relatively lower-water-demand crops such as pulses, oilseeds, millets and horticultural crops.

ICAR has already implemented location-specific crop diversification interventions in 47 identified districts under its Pilot Project on Crop Diversification.

The Council has also developed an Atlas of Cropping Systems in India and identified alternative cropping systems based on agro-climatic conditions, resource availability and market opportunities.

For 14 major crops—including rice, wheat, maize, pearl millet, sorghum, pigeon pea, chickpea, soybean, mustard, groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, potato and onion—ICAR has prepared agro-ecological and district-specific crop plans using indicators covering yield, sustainability, soil and climate suitability.

Micro-irrigation becomes a key part of the strategy

Alongside crop diversification, the government is focusing on micro-irrigation and precision water management to increase agricultural productivity while reducing water consumption.

ICAR has standardised and promoted optimum irrigation scheduling and drip fertigation for different crops.

Under the Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, farmers are being encouraged to adopt drip and sprinkler irrigation systems.

Other water-saving techniques being promoted include:

• Direct Seeded Rice (DSR)
• System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
• Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)
• Raised-bed planting
• Laser land levelling
• Mulching
• Sprinkler and drip irrigation
• Protective irrigation
• AI-, sensor- and weather-based irrigation scheduling

Between 2023–24 and 2025–26, ICAR organised 457 training programmes, benefiting 8,749 farmers and 4,592 extension functionaries on crop diversification and sustainable crop-management practices.

Focus on soil health and climate resilience

The strategy extends beyond irrigation to soil and nutrient management.

ICAR promotes soil test-based balanced fertilisation, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), Soil Test Crop Response (STCR)-based recommendations and location-specific micronutrient management.

The Council has also developed rapid soil-testing kits and digital decision-support tools to enable farmers to assess soil fertility and make more targeted nutrient-management decisions.

The initiatives are complemented by the government’s broader agricultural programmes, including the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and Watershed Development Component of PMKSY (WDC-PMKSY 2.0).

PM-DDKY, in particular, aims to promote sustainable agriculture across 100 aspirational agricultural districts by bringing together crop diversification, irrigation development, post-harvest infrastructure, natural and organic farming, pest management and nutrient management interventions.

Climate-resilient farming expands

ICAR’s National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is also supporting the transition towards agriculture that can withstand drought, floods, salinity and heat stress.

The programme includes Climate Resilient Villages in 151 vulnerable districts, while District Agriculture Contingency Plans have been prepared for 651 districts.

Weather-based agricultural advisories and farmer capacity-building through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) are being used alongside climate-resilient crop varieties and improved water-management practices.

What it means for food, hospitality and tourism

The shift towards water-efficient agriculture has implications well beyond farming.

For the food and hospitality industry, changes in cropping patterns could gradually influence the availability, pricing and sourcing of key ingredients. Greater cultivation of pulses, oilseeds, millets and horticultural crops could strengthen the supply of diverse locally produced ingredients while reducing pressure on water resources.

For hotels and restaurants, this could create opportunities to expand menus around millets, pulses, regional grains, seasonal produce and locally sourced ingredients—categories that are increasingly relevant to sustainable and regional food experiences.

The impact could also extend to culinary tourism. India’s regional food traditions are closely linked to local crops and agricultural landscapes. A more diversified agricultural system could strengthen destination-specific food identities and support farm-to-table, rural and agri-tourism experiences.

For the wider travel and tourism ecosystem, improving water security is particularly important in water-stressed destinations, where agriculture, hospitality and tourism compete for increasingly limited water resources.

The larger shift

India’s crop-diversification strategy signals a broader transition from simply maximising agricultural output towards matching crops with water availability, climate conditions, soil health and market demand.

For the food and hospitality supply chain, the success of this transition could ultimately mean a more diversified and resilient domestic food system—one that is better equipped to manage climate variability while supporting India’s regional cuisines and tourism economy.