279
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Rukhsana et al. (eds.), Habitat, Ecology and Ekistics, Advances in Asian
Human-Environmental Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49115-4_16
Chapter 16
Traditional Water Management System
and Agricultural Sustainability
in a Himalayan Foothill Village of Assam,
India
Sourav Saha, N. Deka, and A. K. Bhagabati
16.1 Introduction
Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater accounting for around 70% of the
global freshwater resources (Sauer et al. 2010; Xiong et al. 2010). According to the
UNFAO, 2010, report, agriculture and livestock farming shared 91% of the total
water withdrawal in India. A large number of surface irrigation projects were
installed in the country during and after the Green Revolution to fulfil the growing
demand of water generated by the mechanised farming practices. However, as
expected, many of the projects were not successful in achieving their targets, and
some of them miserably failed due to lack of proper management and co-operation
between the state and the local farmers (Meher 2011). These projects also triggered
many environmental and social problems such as waterlogging of fertile land, siltation of reservoirs and canals, loss of fish production, displacement of tribal communities, conflict among the water user groups, etc. in the upstream and downstream
areas (De 2014; Wood 1993). Different irrigation projects in India such as the Tehri
and Narmada dams were questioned by many environmentalists and social and natural scientists for their adverse impacts (Dhawan 1989; Saleth 1992). As a result,
alternative approaches of water management became an urgent need for agricultural
sustainability.
Since the 1980s, some new approaches such as participatory irrigation management (PIM), farmer-managed irrigation system (FMIS) and traditional water
resource management systems (TWRMS) have been gaining the attention of the
agricultural scientists, agro-ecologists, environmentalists, geographers and planners
and policy-makers (Joshi et al. 2000, Watson et al. 1998; Playan et al. 2018).
Recently, international organisations, agencies, the World Bank and NGOs have
started focusing on the traditional, farmer-managed and participatory irrigation
S. Saha (*) · N. Deka · A. K. Bhagabati
Department of Geography, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Rukhsana et al. (eds.), Habitat, Ecology and Ekistics, Advances in Asian
Human-Environmental Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49115-4_16
Chapter 16
Traditional Water Management System
and Agricultural Sustainability
in a Himalayan Foothill Village of Assam,
India
Sourav Saha, N. Deka, and A. K. Bhagabati
16.1 Introduction
Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater accounting for around 70% of the
global freshwater resources (Sauer et al. 2010; Xiong et al. 2010). According to the
UNFAO, 2010, report, agriculture and livestock farming shared 91% of the total
water withdrawal in India. A large number of surface irrigation projects were
installed in the country during and after the Green Revolution to fulfil the growing
demand of water generated by the mechanised farming practices. However, as
expected, many of the projects were not successful in achieving their targets, and
some of them miserably failed due to lack of proper management and co-operation
between the state and the local farmers (Meher 2011). These projects also triggered
many environmental and social problems such as waterlogging of fertile land, siltation of reservoirs and canals, loss of fish production, displacement of tribal communities, conflict among the water user groups, etc. in the upstream and downstream
areas (De 2014; Wood 1993). Different irrigation projects in India such as the Tehri
and Narmada dams were questioned by many environmentalists and social and natural scientists for their adverse impacts (Dhawan 1989; Saleth 1992). As a result,
alternative approaches of water management became an urgent need for agricultural
sustainability.
Since the 1980s, some new approaches such as participatory irrigation management (PIM), farmer-managed irrigation system (FMIS) and traditional water
resource management systems (TWRMS) have been gaining the attention of the
agricultural scientists, agro-ecologists, environmentalists, geographers and planners
and policy-makers (Joshi et al. 2000, Watson et al. 1998; Playan et al. 2018).
Recently, international organisations, agencies, the World Bank and NGOs have
started focusing on the traditional, farmer-managed and participatory irrigation
S. Saha (*) · N. Deka · A. K. Bhagabati
Department of Geography, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India