Potential sites for different in-situ moisture conservation measures in Western Vidarbha zone of Maharashtra using geospatial techniques

Abstract

The Western Vidarbha zone of Maharashtra has an average annual rainfall of around 800 mm with 84% of the rainfall during south-west monsoon and the mean annual rainfall varies spatially from 732 mm to 1273 mm in different sub-districts. Normally, in these areas dry spells are experienced during July, August and September which coincides with the vegetative or reproductive stages of major rainfed crops and it results in the reduction of crop yield drastically. In-situ moisture conservation measures are followed in these areas to conserve the moisture in the soil and to increase the crop productivity. In addition to this, providing one or two supplemental irrigation to these rainfed crops during critical growth stages or prolonged dry spells can increase the crop yield considerably. In order to make the Western Vidarbha zone of Maharashtra more resilient to the impact of climate change, suitable in-situ moisture conservation measures and rainwater harvesting / groundwater recharge structures were planned using a novel and robust approach with geospatial techniques. Among the selected in-situ soil and water conservation (SWC) interventions, conservation furrow and contour cultivation are very suitable for all the districts followed by broad bed furrow (BBF) and ridge and furrow systems. Out of the total area, conservation furrow is found suitable for 51.5% of the area and contour cultivation for 22.5% area. Also, adoption of suitable water harvesting structures like percolation tanks, farm ponds and check dams are also very essential for the sustainable water management for climate resilient agriculture in Western Vidarbha zone of Maharashtra.