Debnath, M and Chatterjee, S and Nayak, A K and Chakraborty, D and Pathak, H (2025) Water Use in Rice Crop Cultivation in India: A Quantitative Assessment. Agricultural Research. pp. 1-13. ISSN 2249-720X
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Abstract
Water management is critical for sustainable paddy cultivation in India where rice plays a major role in food security. This study explores the water footprint (L kg−1) and water productivity (kg m−3) of paddy cultivation across various regions in India, taking into account both green (rainfed) and blue (irrigated) water components. The water footprints and water productivity were calculated using spatial and temporal data on rainfall, soil, irrigation sources and crop coefficients data across diverse agro-ecological zones in India. Regional averages were derived from meteorological and hydrological datasets, including both green and blue water inputs. On an average, it takes 1500–2000 L of water to produce 1 kg of paddy in India, with significant regional variations influenced by soil, climate, irrigation practices, crop productivity. These figures are lower than those of Bangladesh (2179–3268 L kg−1), Indonesia (1886–3030 L kg−1) and Philippines (900–3333 L kg−1), but higher than those of China (~ 1321 L kg−1) and Vietnam (~ 952 L kg−1). Regions like Northeastern states depend on rainfed paddy cultivation due to abundant rainfall, with green water footprints ranging from 1155 to 2660 L kg−1. There is significant potential for developing water harvesting infrastructure in this region. In contrast, regions like Punjab and Haryana, which practice intensive irrigation and ground water extraction, show higher water footprints ranging from 2270 to 2672 L kg−1, highlighting the need for improved water management strategies. The water footprint of paddy is higher compared to that of wheat and maize but can be similar to cotton, mustard and even groundnut with efficient irrigation management. The study emphasizes the importance of tailored approaches to enhance water productivity, reduce water footprints, and ensure sustainable rice production in the context of climate change to achieve the Sustainable Agricultural Goals.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Divisions: | Others |
| CRP: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Water footprint, Water productivity, Paddy, Irrigation management, Sustainable agriculture, Rice |
| Subjects: | Others > Rice Others > Sustainable Agriculture Others > Irrigation Others > Water Resources |
| Depositing User: | Mr Nagaraju T |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Feb 2026 10:17 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Feb 2026 10:17 |
| URI: | http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/13484 |
| Official URL: | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40003-0... |
| Projects: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Funders: | UNSPECIFIED |
| Acknowledgement: | The authors express their gratitude to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for providing the weather datasets utilized in the study for the calculation of water footprints. |
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