Sammanfattning

Rainfall variability and water scarcity continue to hamper the food and income security of smallholder farming systems in poverty-affected regions. Innovations in soil and water management, especially in the drylands, are critical for meeting food security and water productivity targets of Agenda 2030. This study analyzes how rainfed agriculture can be intensified with marginal impact on the landscape water balance. The impact of rainwater harvesting structures on landscape hydrology and associated agricultural services was analyzed in the semi-arid Jhansi district of Bundelkhand region in central India. The Parasai-Sindh pilot watershed was subjected to a 5-year (2012-2016) monitoring of rainfed system improvements in water availability and crop intensification due to surface water storage (haveli system), check dams, and field infiltration structures. Hydrological processes were monitored intensively to analyze the landscape's water balance components. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures altered the landscape's hydrology, limiting average surface runoff from 250 mm/year to 150 mm/year over the study period. Groundwater levels increased by 2-5 m (m), alleviating water scarcity issues of the communities in recurring dry years. Nearly 20% of fallow lands were brought under cultivation. Crop yields increased by 10-70% and average household income increased from US$ 960/year to US $ 2700/year compared to that in the non-intervention landscape. The combined soil-water-vegetation efforts strengthened water resilience and environmental systems in agricultural landscape.

Nyckelord

Water scarcity; Groundwater resilience; Livelihood development; Semi-arid tropics

Publicerad i

Journal of Hydrology
2020, Volym: 591, artikelnummer: 125592

SLU författare

• Barron, Jennie

  • Institutionen för mark och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Globala målen

SDG1 Fattigdom omfattar fler dimensioner än den ekonomiska. Fattigdom innebär bl.a. även brist på frihet, makt, inflytande, hälsa, utbildning och fysisk säkerhet.
SDG2 Avskaffa hunger, uppnå tryggad livsmedelsförsörjning och förbättrad nutrition samt främja ett hållbart jordbruk
SDG6 Säkerställa tillgången till och en hållbar förvaltning av vatten och sanitet för alla
SDG13 Vidta omedelbara åtgärder för att bekämpa klimatförändringarna och dess konsekvenser


UKÄ forskningsämne

Markvetenskap
Jordbruksvetenskap
Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125592

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/107957