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EMERGING MICRO-IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING SYSTEMS IN THE DROUGHT PRONE AREAS: A CASE STUDY OF CHITTOOR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh has varied Physical and Climatic conditions and the district population is mainly depending on agriculture and its related activities. But, the district is far behind in irrigation sources which is the back bone of agriculture. The district soils and weather phenomenon are very much favorable for agricultural operations. But the district is located in low rain fall receiving and drought prone area and it is vulnerable for discontinues, un reliable, onset failure of monsoons. Once, the district is known for some agriculture surface wells and yearlong water flowing streams. Surface wells are totally replaced by tube wells and water flowing streams became dry and encroached. In later stage majority tube wells of the district became dry even 1400 – 1500 feet wells. In want of irrigation water, several farmers constructed more than one tube well. Some farmers failed in obtaining water even from five to six tube wells constructed which has been leading for ‘Farmer Suicides’ noticed in several parts of low rainfall receiving areas of Andhra Pradesh state. In this circumstances Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP) was launched in united Andhra Pradesh in the month of November 2003 with an objective of enhancing the crop productivity by improving the water use efficiency through micro irrigation techniques, improving the economic conditions of the farmers by conserving water, bringing additional area into cultivation with the available water resources, enhancing the crop productivity and production, quality, facilitating judicious usage of underground water, saving in power consumption and cost of cultivation. APMIP is being implemented with the assistance from Government of India, State Government and farmer contribution. The APMIP did a sea change in agriculture by bringing major fallow land under cultivation and creating the awareness about various benefits of micro-irrigation techniques in the farming community to achieve the slogan ‘more crops per drop’. In this circumstance emergence of micro-irrigation system has very much needed in drought prone area like Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh with an aim of enhancing the crop productivity by improving the water use efficiency through micro irrigation systems for sustainable agriculture. The present study is based on both empirical observations and secondary information sources to analyze the achievement of micro irrigation in drought prone Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.