My Water – My Security (Water Resource). Agriculture Resource Endowment Index 5/10

Yes, our rains are mostly reliable – they arrive around the same time every year, and the amount is enough for crops.

Usually okay, but not always – sometimes it comes late, sometimes it stops early. We manage, but it adds stress.

Rainfall here is highly unreliable – some years floods, some years droughts, and some years almost nothing.

Yes, we have a strong and steady source — like a well-maintained tube well, a canal with regular supply, or a big pond that never runs dry. Example: A farmer with a deep borewell connected to drip irrigation can grow tomatoes or capsicum even in summer.

We do have water, but only for part of the year — after that, the source dries up or supply becomes irregular. Example: A canal farmer who gets water only till February cannot risk summer vegetables and must switch to short-duration pulses.

We depend on shallow wells or tanks that often dry up mid-season — every year we are guessing whether water will last. Example: A tank-fed field where paddy transplanting is done, but water finishes before grain filling, leading to half yield.

We have water, but the quality is poor — it is saline, alkaline, or has contaminants that harm crops and soil. Example: A borewell with salty water where banana plants wilt or soils develop white salt crust.

We don’t have any dependable source. If rain fails, the farm fails. Sometimes we even leave land fallow. Example: A rainfed cotton farmer in Vidarbha forced to abandon land during drought years.

Our water is fresh and clean — low salts, neutral taste, crops grow happily. Example: Tube well water with good quality where wheat, vegetables, and dairy fodder all thrive without white crusts on soil.

Water is mostly good, but sometimes we notice minor issues — like slight crust on soil or reduced crop shine. Example: A canal irrigated farmer where salinity rises at the tail end of summer but is manageable with normal cropping.

Water has salinity/alkalinity issues — some crops don’t grow well, yields dip, and soils feel harder after irrigation. Example: A borewell farmer whose paddy grows but pulses fail, and soil develops cracks with salt deposits.

Water is contaminated — it comes from effluent channels, sewage-mixed sources, or has pesticide residues. Example: A farmer near an industrial belt where leafy vegetables turn yellowish and cannot be sold in city markets due to food safety concerns.

Honestly, water is so bad (too salty, toxic, or foul) that we can’t farm normally — sometimes we abandon fields. Example: Farmers in coastal belts where seawater intrusion leaves land barren with thick salt crust.

Our water comes almost free — gravity-fed canal, farm pond, or a shallow well that doesn’t cost much. Example: A farmer with canal irrigation flowing naturally into fields, or an open well irrigating with a simple pulley.

We’ve invested in efficient systems like drip, sprinklers, or solar pumps — so recurring costs are low. Example: A farmer who uses drip for pomegranate orchards, saving water and cutting electricity bills.

We use tube wells or pumps with moderate fuel/electricity bills — costs pinch but are manageable most years. Example: A farmer with a 3 HP electric pump irrigating wheat and mustard, paying monthly bills that stay under control in normal years.

Our costs are high — deep borewells, frequent pump repairs, and heavy diesel/electricity bills cut profits. Example: A farmer who spends ₹1,000 per acre just on diesel during summer irrigation for vegetables.

Honestly, water costs are unbearable — sometimes higher than the crop income itself. Example: A farmer drilling deep borewells every 3–4 years as old ones dry up, spending lakhs but still unable to secure water for paddy.