Alok Sikka

International Management Institute

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Mohammad Faiz Alam

International Management Institute

Paul Pavelic

Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit

Tinashe Lindel Dirwai

University of KwaZulu-Natal

Adlul Islam

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi

University of KwaZulu-Natal

Navneet Sharma

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

Saket Pande

Delft University of Technology

D. Mark Smith

International Water Management Institute

Cuthbert Taguta

University of KwaZulu-Natal

Jonathan Lautze

International Water Management Institute

Cooperative Institutions

International Water Management Institute

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

International Management Institute

Central Soil Salinity Research Institute

International Water Management Institute

University of KwaZulu-Natal

United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health

ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region

Delft University of Technology

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

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Exploring options of participatory water management for livelihood improvements in the Indo‐Gangetic Basin

International Journal of River Basin Management (2009)

Alok Sikka

Abstract Abstract Water resource development has played an important role in livelihood improvement and poverty alleviation by improving food security, protecting against drought, providing access to water, and creating employment. Recent efforts of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and international agencies to promote participatory management of water resources in irrigated commands, rainfed areas, and uplands have paid rich dividends in the Indo‐Gangetic Basin (IGB) and in IGB countries. There has been a paradigm shift from technology transfer toward decentralized, user‐centered approaches, and more recently toward promotion of local institutions and governance. This paper reviews experience from various participatory water management approaches in canal‐irrigated areas, groundwater‐irrigated areas, rainfed areas, and uplands, and suggests practical ways forward for participatory water management. Keywords: Indo‐Gangetic Basinparticipatory irrigation managementwatershed managementwater management

Water security

Watershed Management

10.1080/15715124.2009.9635377

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Citations (5)

Streamflow Response to Climate Change in the Brahmani River Basin, India

Water Resources Management (2012)

Adlul Islam Alok Sikka Bidyut Baran Saha Anamika Singh

Flood forecasting

10.1007/s11269-011-9965-0

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Citations (57)

Groundwater quality concern for wider adaptability of novel modes of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in the Ganges Basin, India

Agricultural Water Management (2020)

S. K. Jha Vinay Kumar Mishra Chhedi Lal Verma Navneet Sharma Alok Sikka

10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106659

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Citations (5)

Green-Ampt approximations: A comprehensive analysis

Journal of Hydrology (2016)

Shakir Ali Adlul Islam P. K. Mishra Alok Sikka

Infiltration (HVAC)

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.01.065

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Citations (35)

Energy consumption as a proxy to estimate groundwater abstraction in irrigation

Groundwater for Sustainable Development (2023)

Mohammad Faiz Alam Paul Pavelic Alok Sikka Sunderrajan Krishnan Meru Dodiya

Groundwater irrigated agriculture accounts for approximately 70% of global groundwater withdrawals and around 38% of the total irrigated area. The indiscriminate use of groundwater has resulted in the depletion of groundwater resources across many regions globally. To ensure sustainable use, it is imperative to limit abstraction to within the average annual recharge rate. However, in agricultural systems in many developing countries, including India, where millions of smallholder farmers use individual wells for pumping, monitoring, and reliable data are lacking. This study proposes an energy-based approach to estimate groundwater abstraction, providing a low-cost method for deriving estimates of moderate accuracy. The research focuses on two areas with contrasting aquifer conditions in Gujarat, India: one alluvial and one hard rock. Using pump and well data, a conversion factor (CF) relating to the volume of water abstracted per unit of energy consumed is determined. In hard rock aquifers, the conversion factor decreases from an average of 6.0 m³ kWh−1 for 3 HP pumps to 4.7 m³ kWh−1 for 7.5 HP pumps. In alluvial aquifers characterized by higher aquifer transmissivity and flow rates, the conversion factor decreases from an average of 9.4 m³ kWh−1 for 10 HP pumps to 4.7 m³ kWh− 1 for 20 HP pumps. The developed relationship shows that CF is related to factors such as pump horsepower, well characteristics, groundwater levels, and pump age. The CF relationship with pump and well characteristics is more robust (R2 ∼ 0.75) in alluvial aquifers compared to the hard rock aquifer (R2 ∼ 0.49). The developed models provide satisfactory estimates of groundwater abstraction, with R2 ∼ 0.92 for alluvial aquifers and ∼0.69 for hard rock aquifers, as compared to observed data on groundwater abstraction. This energy-based approach offers a cost-effective means of monitoring groundwater abstraction, particularly crucial in regions with heavily developed groundwater resources.

10.1016/j.gsd.2023.101035

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Patterns of surface water dynamics and storage changes in a basin of Bundelkhand Region, India: Implications for water management

Irrigation and Drainage (2024)

Dhyey Bhatpuria Nitin Sharma Giriraj Amarnath Alok Sikka

Abstract Surface water is essential for agricultural, domestic and industrial production worldwide. Monitoring surface dynamics is crucial for sustainable ecosystems and global water resources. Importance of monitoring surface water dynamics is even more pronounced in the semi‐arid regions worldwide. An analysis of surface water extent and volume change patterns has been conducted, comparing these dynamics with alterations in precipitation patterns within a basin in Central Bundelkhand, a semi‐arid region in the Central India prone to droughts. To map the waterbodies, we leveraged Sentinel‐1 SAR data using an automated mapping framework and utilised DEM dataset to extract bathymetry using interpolation with modifications using water persistence. Analysis revealed a lag in surface water peak water level with respect to accumulated rainfall by 2–3 months. Furthermore, we have categorised the water bodies into small, medium and large by surface area and found that smaller water bodies show a higher intra‐annual variance, while medium and large water bodies show a lower intra‐annual variance. The findings suggest that smaller communities reliant on smaller water bodies are at a higher risk from climate variability in the region and a delay in attaining peak surface storage across the basin causes further challenges to water management.

Water storage

10.1002/ird.3055

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Managing groundwater for building resilience for sustainable agriculture in South Asia

Irrigation and Drainage (2020)

Alok Sikka Mohammad Faiz Alam Paul Pavelic

Abstract South Asia's heavy reliance on groundwater for irrigated agricultural production supports the livelihoods of tens of millions of smallholder farmers but is being undermined by rampant overexploitation of groundwater. Without major intervention, this is expected to be further exacerbated by growing demand and climate change. Groundwater management, scientific and evidence‐based, can make an important contribution to managing unsustainable groundwater use and strengthening the climate resilience of farmers due to groundwater's unique storage characteristics. This study brings together a set of strategies and solutions to better manage groundwater that cover the augmentation of groundwater recharge through managed aquifer recharge, management of groundwater demand through participatory groundwater management and other methods, and the harnessing synergies of co‐dependent sectors. The opportunities, constraints and available evidence for each are analysed and the boundaries, barriers and specificities identified to establish entry points for positive change through policies and implementation programmes.

Overexploitation

Resilience

10.1002/ird.2558

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Citations (16)

Water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus in India—A review of relevant studies, policies, and programmes

Frontiers in Water (2023)

Sharad K. Jain Alok Sikka Mohammad Faiz Alam

Current approaches for utilization of resources in water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) sectors appear to be unsustainable and sub-optimal because of silo-based approaches that ignore interconnectedness across these interdependent sectors. A nexus approach that considers the interactions and interdependence among the sectors helps overcome weaknesses of silo-based approaches to better address synergies and trade-offs. This paper discusses the concept of the WEFE nexus-based approach for achieving water, energy, food, and environment security in India and presents a review of recent relevant literature. The paper critically reviews the key Indian government policies and programmes in the WEFE sector to assess the synergies and trade-offs among them. More than ≈ 40 programmes across WEFE sectors were studied to understand the efforts underway in these sectors to attain the respective policy goals. Although the implementation of the nexus concept will depend upon the enabling government policies and programmes, we find that discussions on these aspects are missing in the literature. Our review shows that the policies of different sectors give inadequate consideration to the impacts of decisions on the other related sectors. Although the various programmes are appreciably contributing to the policy goals and security for respective sectors, there are significant overlaps among the programmes which could positively or negatively impact other sector(s). There is a need to quantify the trade-offs by using an integrated approach including modeling with the WEFE nexus lens. The study also discusses the key challenges and barriers in implementing the nexus concept in India and how to overcome them.

10.3389/frwa.2023.1128198

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Climate‐Smart Land and Water Management for Sustainable Agriculture

Irrigation and Drainage (2017)

Alok Sikka Adlul Islam K. V. Rao

Abstract Indian agriculture is vulnerable to climate variability and change. The Coupled Model Inter‐comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) based model ensemble projects a warming of 1.5–4.3°C and an increase in precipitation by 6–14% for India under different representative concentration pathways (RCPs) for the 2080s (2071–2100) compared to the baseline period (1961–1990). The Indian Council of Agricultural Research through its network project on National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) has demonstrated different land and water management interventions in the vulnerable districts of India to enhance the resilience of agriculture to climate change and variability. Rainwater harvesting and its judicious utilization through farm ponds and community tanks in rainfed districts demonstrated the ability to build resilience and also enhance cropping intensity (20–135%). Construction of temporary check dams ( bori‐bandhan ) in high‐rainfall areas brought lowland areas into cultivation which otherwise would have remained fallow due to inundation in the kharif (monsoon) season. Renovation of aahar (water reservoirs) and construction of farm ponds in Bihar ensured protective irrigation during dry spells in kharif , increasing paddy productivity by 20.7%, and also raised the groundwater level by 30 cm. Adoption of participatory integrated watershed management within a river basin perspective provides a framework for climate change adaptation through reduced runoff, increased groundwater recharge, improved crop productivity and increased carbon sequestration. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rainwater Harvesting

Kharif crop

Rainfed agriculture

10.1002/ird.2162

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Citations (60)

Agricultural water management practices to improve the climate resilience of irrigated agriculture in India

Irrigation and Drainage (2022)

Alok Sikka Mohammad Faiz Alam Vidya Mandave

Abstract The projected implications of climate change for water and agriculture to meet diverse and competitive water demands requires smart water management solutions. Science‐ and evidence‐based, agricultural water management (AWM) can significantly contribute to reduce unsustainable water use and help enhance water resilience and adaptation to climate change. This paper presents a brief overview of potential AWM practices focusing on enhancing water resilience, increasing yields, and wherever possible, reducing emissions. This is achieved via increased land and water use efficiency, water and energy savings, and improved water productivity with considerable scope to improve agricultural resilience. In this context, the prioritization of a location‐specific portfolio of smart AWM practices to make the right investment decisions is very important. We present two distinct and complementary approaches to prioritize AWM practices in this paper: one follows stakeholder analysis to build a prioritized portfolio of climate‐smart AWM practices and the other employs a simple water balance‐based approach to prioritize interventions. The way forward in mainstreaming and scaling out context‐specific climate‐smart AWM interventions is also discussed with a focus on capacity building, water management extension services, and the mobilization of resources through the convergence of institutions and co‐financing from relevant development schemes.

Climate Resilience

Resilience

10.1002/ird.2696

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Citations (27)