ROLE OF PLASTICULTURE IN NEXT GENERATION AGRICULTURE

Transcription

1 Knowedge and Strategy Partner ROLE OF PLASTICULTURE IN NEXT GENERATION AGRICULTURE A Report on Potentia of Pasticuture in India May 2016

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3 Knowedge and Strategy Partner ROLE OF PLASTICULTURE IN NEXT GENERATION AGRICULTURE A Report on Potentia of Pasticuture in India May 2016

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5 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Harshavardhan Neotia President Federation House Tansen Marg New Dehi T F E president@ficci.com, cmd@ambujaneotia.com CIN: U99999DL1956NPL Message There is need to encourage the Pasticuture sector to enabe it to reaize its potentia and contribute to the nationa economy. One of the major sectors of pasticuture appication is in the area of water management. Appication of micro irrigation can hep in increasing productivity by 30 to 100 per cent with significant saving of water. Fertiizer use efficiency is aso enhanced. In the present scenario of depeting water resources, couped with increased need of food, pasticuture needs to be encouraged. Incidentay this aso creates opportunities for the Indian pastic industry as same finds good appications in pasticuture. I am happy to note that FICCI, jointy with Department of Agricuture Cooperation & Farmers Wefare and Department of Chemicas and Petrochemicas, Government of India is organising a Nationa Conference on Pasticuture. I wish it a the best. New Dehi th 4 May, 2016 Harshavardhan Neotia

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7 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation House Tansen Marg New Dehi T (11 Lines) F E ficci@ficci.com CIN: U99999DL 1956NPL Message Right usage of water is becoming increasingy important given the fact that India currenty supports neary 17.84% of the word popuation, with 2.4% and and 4 % of water resources. At the same time, monsoons are aso becoming erratic. The resutant is aarming fa in ground water eves pacing at risk, the nationa food security mission. Pasticuture (viz: the use of pastics in agricuture, horticuture, water-management, food grains storage and reated areas) is a good answer to this chaenge. It can pay an important roe in faciitating judicious usage of water. It is estimated that appropriate appications of micro-irrigation technoogies can resut in water saving upto %. It is good that FICCI jointy with Department of Agricuture Cooperation & Farmers Wefare and the Department of Chemicas and Petrochemicas, Government of India is organising a Nationa Conference on Potentia of Pasticuture in India. This is most timey and I wish it good deiberations. PRABH DAS Chairman-FICCI Nationa Petrochemicas Committee Managing Director & CEO HPCL-Mitta Energy Limited Knowedge and Strategy Partner 01 Indian Pasticuture Industry

8 Foreword Manish Pancha Sr. Practice Head - Chemica & Energy Tata Strategic Management Group manish.pancha@tsmg.com Karthikeyan. K.S Principa - Chemicas Tata Strategic Management Group karthikeyan.ks@tsmg.com P. S. Singh Head-Chemicas & Petrochemicas Division FICCI The report on Roe of Pasticuture in next generation Agricuture is part of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and TATA Strategic Management Group (TSMG) Chemica Practice's endeavor to assess the industry and end-consumer towards adoption of pastics in the agricutura practices to improve yied and productivity. FICCI & TSMG has been reguary tracking the trends in the pastics and agricuture industry aong with the associated industries. The resuting knowedge and experience gives us an additiona advantage to prepare this report. Right usage of water is becoming increasingy important given the fact that India currenty supports neary 17.84% of the word popuation, with 2.4% and and 4 % of water resources. At the same time, monsoons are aso becoming erratic. The resutant is aarming fa in ground water eves. Pasticuture (viz: the use of pastics in agricuture, horticuture, water-management, food grains storage and reated areas) is a good answer to this chaenge. It can pay an important roe in faciitating judicious usage of water Through this report, we have showcased the various Pasticuture methods avaiabe for adoption and highighted the benefits of Pasticuture in farming methods and post harvesting techniques. We are gratefu for the inputs provided by industry eaders as aso other stake hoders incuding the farmers, who agreed to interact with us. Their knowedge and guidance heped us shape the report. The report is a resut of FICCI's objective to highight the potentia of pastics in agricuture and business opportunities present in the sector. Knowedge and Strategy Partner Indian Pasticuture Industry

9 Tabe of Contents Executive Summary Pasticuture Introduction Significance of Pasticuture in Agricuture Pasticuture Techniques Pasticuture Appication descriptions Types of Pastic in Agricuture appication Pastics Appication in Post Harvesting Pasticuture Potentia Progress of Micro-Irrigation Reason for adoption of technoogy Reason for Non-adoption Measure to tacke the chaenges Case Study I: Israe Learning Case Study II: China Case of Bio-degradabe pastic Concusion Artices Indian Agricuture under a Severe Water Stress: Ushering Prosperity through Water Security By Dr. Bhart R Sharma Per Drop More Crop: It's now or Never by Mr. Puneet Singh Thind A Window to Pasticuture by Mr. P S Singh References About Tata Strategic Tata Strategic Contacts About FICCI Knowedge and Strategy Partner 01 Indian Pasticuture Industry

10 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1: Potentia growth in Agricuture-GDP (INR Cr.) by Pasticuture, FY13 Figure 2: Negative effect of Pastic Muches in China Tabe 1: Major Pasticuture Appications Tabe 2: Poymers used in Pasticuture appications Tabe 3: Post-Harvest Operations Tabe 4: Potentia of Pasticuture appications Tabe 5: Pasticuture progress in India (2013) Knowedge and Strategy Partner 02 Indian Pasticuture Industry

11 1 Executive Summary India supports neary 16% of word's popuation with 2.4% and resource and 4% water resource and atey the dwinding quaity and the vagaries of the avaiabiity of these resources are raising serious questions on the sustainabiity of the agricutura practice. To counter the probem, efforts need to be redirected to improve the productivity of the and, efficiency of the suppy chain whie reducing the carbon footprint, by efficient usage of fertiizers, as a resut of agricutura practice. Pasticuture, which is use of pastic in agricutura practice, is an answer to this raying cry. Pasticuture is a scientific way of carrying out agricuture, which not ony improves the productivity, but optimizes the input resources as we, thereby reducing the cost. There has been significant progress in the adoption of Pasticuture techniques in the ast decade, however the ow penetration eves suggest it needs to grow at a rapid pace from now. On the demand side awareness of the avaiabe options and subsidies, its reevance and appicabiity coud improve the adoption rate. From the suppy side industry needs to take efforts to bring down the capita cost, work on creating an environment where Pasticuture cuture is a norm than exception. Concentrated efforts in direction of demonstration, spreading word of mouth, and buiding credibiity by performance & after-saes services coud hep shape the industry. Government poicy intervention in creating the environment for investments in R&D, supporting farmers with initia subsidies as per the oca conditions and 03 Indian Pasticuture Industry Knowedge and Strategy Partner

12 improving the timeines for sanctions of subsidies woud be important to shape the structure of the industry. There are enough cases of successfu impementation of these measures esewhere and subsequent vaue creation to a the stakehoders across the vaue chain. It is becoming increasingy cear that this technique remains, no more a choice but the ony option, if we have to remain sef-sustainabe in our food security. We are at the cusp of changing paradigm in agricuture and it is an opportunity we have to tame efficienty and swifty. A second phase of Green Revoution is in making... or is it. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 04 Indian Pasticuture Industry

13 2 Pasticuture Introduction Use of pastic materia in agricutura practices is referred to as Pasticuture. Pasticuture incudes a kinds of pant or soi coverings ranging from much fims, row coverings, poy-tunnes to greenhouses. The benefits of Pasticuture are reduced water oss, UV stabiization to coo soi and prevent insects & prevention of weed growth. Poyethyene pastic fim is used majory for Pasticuture, by growers, because of its fexibiity, easy manufacturing and affordabiity. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 05 Indian Pasticuture Industry

14 3 Significance of Pasticuture in Agricuture Knowedge and Strategy Partner India currenty supports neary 16% of words' popuation with 2.4% and resources and 4% water resources. The net sowed area in India stands at miion Ha and the net irrigated area is 63.2 miion Ha (45%). Monsoons are the primary source of irrigation in India as the three-fifth of the and is irrigated directy by rainfa. To irrigate these and, India receives three fourth of its rains, in just four months of the year. In recent years the average amount of rain received has decined and variabiity aso has increased. Ground water tabe has faen more than 4 meters during ast two decades and in some regions, of high agricutura productivity, it is faing at rate on one meter per annum. As per estimates by 2025 about a third of India woud be under absoute water scarce condition. Water avaiabiity for irrigation is expected to come down from ~82% in 1997 to ~72% by Distribution of water remains a concern as three-fifth of the water is ost in conveyance and about haf of the osses happen through seepage. These and other factors contribute to a wide gap in crop productivity in India which stands at ~40-60% of word's average whie raising serious questions on sustainabiity of agricuture and eventuay on food security. There is aso heavy pre and postharvest osses which further contribute to ow avaiabiity of food grains and fruits and vegetabes. A these factors make use of pastics in agricuture an interesting proposition, as there are substantia benefits of empoying the Pasticuture techniques to improve the productivity whie saving the water consumption and minimizing the post-harvest wastages. Compared to word average of poymer 06 Indian Pasticuture Industry

15 utiization in agricuture which stands at 8%, India has poymer utiization of just 2%. Hence there is a ot of potentia of pastic appication in agricuture. The greater use of pastic in agricuture can aso hep to a great extent to achieve up to fifty percent of the intended targets in Agricuture (as shown in the figure 1). The wider use of Pasticuture can reduce the oss of harvest and can increase the efficiency thus contributing more to the GDP. It is estimated that the agricuture output can be increased by ~INR 68,000 Cr by using proper Pasticuture appications ike drip irrigation, muching etc. Aso, using innovative pastic packaging and handing techniques can promote proper harvest management which wi in turn contribute towards the Agricuture-GDP. Figure 1: Potentia growth in Agricuture-GDP (INR Cr.) by Pasticuture 68, ,000 Greater Utiization of Pastic can drive Food processing industry Improve agricuture productivity Reduce post harvest osses 76,000 6,000 Reguar agri practices Post harvest management Pasticuture Tota Knowedge and Strategy Partner 07 Indian Pasticuture Industry

16 4 Pasticuture Techniques Tabe 1: Major Pasticuture Appications Knowedge and Strategy Partner Appication Drip Irrigation System Sprinky Irrigation System Ponds and Reservoir Linings Pastic Muching Greenhouse Pastic Tunne Comments Precise appication of irrigation water and pant nutrients at ow pressure and frequent intervas through drippers/ emitters directy into the root zone of pant Appication of water under high pressure with the hep of a pump. Water is reeased through a sma diameter nozze paced in the pipes Pastics fim ining to prevent against seepage in canas, pond reservoirs Aso avoids depetion of stored water used for drinking & irrigation purpose Muching is covering the soi around the pant with pastics fim, straw, grass, hay, dry eaves, stones etc. Prevents oss of moisture and acts as a barrier between the soi and atmosphere Greenhouse is a framed structure covered with gass or pastics fim Acts as seective radiation fiter, in which pants are grown under the controed environment Pastic tunne faciities the entrapment of carbon dioxide, thereby enhancing the photosynthetic activities of the pant that hep to increase yied 08 Indian Pasticuture Industry

17 5 Pasticuture Appication descriptions Pastic Much In this technique crops grow through the hoes in the thin pastic sheets. This used in conjunction of drip irrigation is used mainy to conserve water and suppress weeds. Certain muches act as barrier to keep Methy bromide, a powerfu fumigant & ozone depeting agent, in the soi. Disposa of pastic much is a concern; however technoogies exist to recyce much into reusabe resins. Benefits: Eary panting and faster growth: Dark and cear muches intercept direct sunight thereby reducing soi temperature, hence faciitating eary faster growth. Soi moisture retention: Pastic muches reduce the water oss due to evaporation which means there is ess water requirement for irrigation and even distribution of moisture reducing pant stress. Weed management: Pastic much prevents weed growth by preventing the sunight from reaching the soi & by bocking the pathway for the weeds to grow. Optimizing fertiizer usage: Drip irrigation with pastic much reduce the eaching of fertiizers beow root zone thereby ensuring that the nitrogen and Knowedge and Strategy Partner 09 Indian Pasticuture Industry

18 other nutrients are appied ony to the root zone as needed. This greaty reduces the fertiizer requirement as compared to broadcast fertiization with food & furrow irrigation. Crop quaity: Pastic muches reduce contact of fruits and vegetabes with soi thereby reducing fruit rot and keeping the produce cean. Better Soi aeration: Pastic much reduces crusting effect of rain and sunight and quantity of weed resuting in better soi aeration and aiding microbia activity. Root damage reduction: Reduction in weed eiminates the need of cutivation ensuring esser root damages and improving overa growth of pant. Disadvantages: Cost: pastic much comes at a much higher cost as compared to bare soi panting. The cost components incude equipment, pastic fim, trans-panters for pastic beds and additiona abor for instaation and remova of fims. Environmenta concern: Conventiona pastic, used as much fim tend to accumuate in soi as the disposa of these are economicay and technicay difficut. Biodegradabe pastics are a good substitute as they get eventuay degraded by microbia community. Lettuce on Pastic much Pastic much inine Coored pastic much Drip Irrigation Knowedge and Strategy Partner Drip irrigation drips water sowy to the roots of the pant, either through the soi surface or directy on the root zone. A narrow tube deivers water directy to the pant base. 10 Indian Pasticuture Industry

19 Benefits: Reduced abor: Labor cost is very ess compared to conventiona irrigation and is further reduced as activities ike fied eveing is no onger necessary in drip irrigation. Better water utiization: Water appication efficiency is very high with fexibiity of using recyced non-potabe water, whie providing a uniform water distribution and maintenance of moisture within the root zone at fied capacity. Reduced cost: Reduced eeching resuts in better utiization of fertiizers and operating generay at ower pressure resuts in energy saving too. As foiage around pants is dry, it reduces the risk of pant diseases too. Disadvantages: High instaation cost: There is high initia cost of instaation and if the water has high sainity/ akainity, the fied soi might become unsuitabe due to sainity and poor infitration of the soi. Requires proper maintenance: The sun affects the tube and associated systems and equipment, if not propery maintained, might resut in cogging. Onine Drip Irrigation Inine Drip Irrigation Sprinker Irrigation Sprinker irrigation is a method of appying the irrigation water by spraying it in the air through sprinkers so as to break it up into sma drops before faing to the ground. Knowedge and Strategy Partner The pump system, sprinker and operating parameters must be designed for uniform appication. 11 Indian Pasticuture Industry

20 Benefits: Protects crops against frost Saves crops from insects & pests Irrigation is possibe on unduating terrains Onine Drip Irrigation Inine Drip Irrigation Semi-Permanent system Rain-gun sprinker system Farm Pond with pastic fim Knowedge and Strategy Partner Rainfa in drought prone areas is highy erratic, which makes storage of water an integra part of rainwater harvesting system. The water seepage and evaporation are major chaenges in these areas due to which drop in depth per day of ponded water is high. To escape this depetion of stored water, pond seaing is done by instaing it with conventiona pastic ining. It reduces the seepage in effective and cost economic way. Different ining materias are avaiabe in the market, which incudes concrete, HDPE (high density poyethyene), PVC (poyviny choride) and poyethyene. 12 Indian Pasticuture Industry

21 Benefits: Conserves water for suppementary irrigation Suitabe for ow rainfa areas Use of Saine water is possibe Geo-membrane Farm pond Cana Cover LDPE pond cover Greenhouse Greenhouse is essentiay a structure buit using transparent materias, such as pastic or gass, in which reguated cimatic conditions are simuated to hep crops grow. The cimatic simuation is aided by equipment such as screening instaations, heating, cooing and ighting. Typica pastics used for greenhouses are poyethyene fim, poycarbonates and Poy methy methacryate acryic gass. Benefits: Quaity of the produce is of superior standards Provides better contro on pests and diseases Crop maturity is eary, making room for more crops Shade nets Shade nets are a framed structure made of materias such as bamboo, wood, iron, etc. Structuray being simiar to greenhouses, it is covered with pastic nets having different shade percentages. Each pant has its distinct requirement for sunight and shade under which it grows best. Simuating the optimum growth conditions requires seection of the correct percentage of shade factor. Round the year Knowedge and Strategy Partner 13 Indian Pasticuture Industry

22 cutivation is made possibe by partiay controing atmosphere and environment by reducing ight intensity and effective heat during daytime. Benefits: Better yieds during summers Reduces evaporation osses Cuts down the sunight intensity to protect pant sapings Low Tunnes Low tunnes enabe crop production in the cod cimates, pains and during rains. Being simiar to greenhouse, poyethyene fims have proved to be highy economica and effective in controing conditions to support pant growth. Benefits: Improved quaity and quantity of produce Reduction in the incidence of disease and pests Faster growth and maturity of crops due to controed conditions Use of water is optimized and there is a reduction of 40-50% Soi Soarisation Soi Soarisation is a technique of using soar energy to contro weed growth and soi borne pests such as pant pathogens incuding bacteria, insects & mites. This is done by muching the soi with a transparent poyethyene cover to trap the soar energy. Soi is decontaminated using soar power as a pre-panting soi treatment. Soarisation induces bioogica, chemica and physica changes in the soi inducing increased growth response & ong-term effects on bioogica contro. Benefits: Knowedge and Strategy Partner Kis insects and soi borne pests Contro weed growth Contros nematodes 14 Indian Pasticuture Industry

23 6 Types of Pastic in Agricuture appication Tabe 2: Poymers used in Pasticuture appications S. no Appications PVC LDPE LLDPE HDPE PP 1 Drip Irrigation Main/sub - Lateras/ Screen Drippers/ main ines emitting pipes fiter emitters Contro - Micro tubes Disc fiter Fittings vaves 2 Sprinker Main/sub Connecting - Main/sub Fittings irrigation main ines ine main ines Contro - - Nozzes Nozzes vaves 3 Greenhouse Main/sub UV fims UV fims Main sub Ropes main ines main ines 4 Low Tunne - UV fims - Hoops Ropes 5 Muching - - UV fims - Non-Woven 6 Piped Main/Sub Main/Sub Conveyance main ines main ines 7 Sub surface Main/Sub Enveope drainage main ines materia 8 Shade house Main/Sub Shade nets main ines 9 Pant Nets protection nets 10 Soi UV fims Soarisation 11 Lining Fim Fim Fim Non- woven 12 Banana/Fruit Non- woven covers 13 Unit Thin wa Leno/crates Punnet/ packaging containers crate Knowedge and Strategy Partner Source: NCPAH 15 Indian Pasticuture Industry

24 7 Pastics Appication in Post Harvesting India is a country with a arge popuation with huge food requirements. Unfortunatey, about 20-30% of the fruits and vegetabes produced in the country are ost due to mismanagement, wastage and vaue destruction. So, a sizabe chunk of the harvested product is ost before reaching its end-consumer. There is a huge potentia to save this sizabe fraction and improve the system. Lack of sorting faciities, inappropriate packaging, sow transport systems and inadequate storage faciities are some of the key factors behind this oss of perishabe goods. Pastics have the potentia to pay a significant roe in preservation of quaity and ongevity of harvested produce. Appication The vaue chain of the post harvesting process for both perishabes and durabes are described in the tabe beow. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 16 Indian Pasticuture Industry

25 Tabe 3: Post-Harvest Operations PERISHABLES DURABLES 1. Fied Handing 1. Fied Handing 2. Receipt 2. Threshing 3. Conveying 3. Receipt 4. Ceaning 4. Pre-ceaning 5. Sorting 5. Drying 6. Grading 6. Storage 7. Treatment 7. Transport 8. Packaging 8. Receipt 9. Unitization 9. Ceaning 10. Storage 10. Treatment 11. Dispatch 11. Storage 12. Transport 12. Processing 13. Whoesaing 13. Retaiing 14. Retaiing 14. Consumption 15. Consumption Source: TATA Strategic anaysis Effective post-harvest management incudes good quaity storage infrastructure, buk handing toos and creating the necessary infrastructure across the vaue chain. Pastics are used to make crates, seas, etc. which make the handing and packaging of the harvest easy. Benefits Storage of the harvest heps extend the shef ife of the product. Minimizes the moisture oss from the product by increasing the humidity in the storage room and around the product. Advantage Pastics are easy to hande, cheap, durabe for ong period and inert with most items, a of which make pastics a sustainabe choice over its substitutes such as paper, coth, etc. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 17 Indian Pasticuture Industry

26 8 Pasticuture Potentia India is a vast nation. Every region has got specific agricutura characteristics and probems. These specific probems of the area coud be tacked with taiored innovative and scientific use of Pasticuture techniques. This woud not ony maximize the output of farms but aso optimizes the input factors. Tabe 4 shows the region specific constraints in agricuture. For exampe, in Western Himaayan region the productivity is ow because of constraints ike severe soi erosion, degradation due to heavy rainfa/foods and deforestation and inadequate market deivery infrastructure. Each Pasticuture appication can drasticay save water by about 30 to 100%. In case of farm pond ined with Pastic fim the tota oss by seepage of water can be minimized, amost to zero. Aso, efficient use of fertiizers can bring the costs down which again is beneficia for the farmers. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 18 Indian Pasticuture Industry

27 Tabe 4: Potentia of Pasticuture appications Pasticuture Water Water Fertiizer Use Appication Saving (%) Efficiency (%) Efficiency (%) Drip Irrigation `Sprinker irrigation Pastic Muching Greenhouse Shade Nets Under Tria Tunne Under Tria Farm Pond Lined Under Tria with Pastic Fim Source: NCPAH Tabe 5: Pasticuture progress in India (2013) S. No. Pasticuture Appication Area Covered Potentia Area Penetration Leve ('000 ha) ('000 ha) (%) 1 Drip Irrigation 2,076 34,915 6% 2 Sprinker Irrigation 2,169 45,790 5% 3 Greenhouse & Pastic Tunne % 4 Shade Net 30 1,000 3% 5 Pastic Muching 30 1,000 3% 6 Pant Protection Nets 20 1, % Source: NCPAH, NMMI Report Progress of Micro-Irrigation India has been taking the Micro-Irrigation way. Micro Irrigation methods have been found to have a significant water saving and crop productivity benefits. In areas with ack of water sources, ike Israe, which is a water scarce country, drip irrigation has been foowed to achieve water sef-sufficiency by improving water used per ton of output (hectare irrigated) due to improvements in water use efficiency in agricuture. Micro Irrigation market in India is Rs. 1,398 crores has grown at 20.5% over the duration (FY'07 FY'13) as compared to the goba market which has grown at 18%. During the period , areas covered under drip irrigation and Knowedge and Strategy Partner 19 Indian Pasticuture Industry

28 sprinker irrigation has grown at a CAGR of ~63% p.a. and ~74% p.a. respectivey in India. Whie there has been good growth, there is a ot of potentia for the future. Penetration eve of Micro-irrigation methods has been 5.26 % of the potentia irrigated area. The progress of micro irrigation industry has been supported by the entry of MNCs such as John Deere, Netafim, Azud, Pastro, Finoex Naandan, Emtee, Adritec, Automat, etc. aong with the joint venture created between Mahindra & Mahindra and Godrej Agrovet. As per the 12th five year pan by the government of India, akh hectares of and is expected to adopt micro-irrigation methods with drip irrigation covering ~48 akh hectares and sprinker irrigation covering ~53 akh hectares of area. This estimated rise in adoption of micro-irrigation methods wi raise domestic pastics consumption by ~1537 KT, with poymer requirement for PE, PP and PVC of KT, 47.6 KT and KT respectivey. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 20 Indian Pasticuture Industry

29 9 Reason for adoption of technoogy As per the farmers the priority order for benefit reaization and hence adoption is as foows: Water saving (> 20%) Time saving Labor saving (7.5% %) Fertiizer saving (~ 28%) Higher production (~42%) Proper utiization of and (Irrigated and increase: ~ 8.5%, Recamation of waste and: 3.5%) Quaity of produce Eary fruiting (7-21 days) Knowedge and Strategy Partner 21 Indian Pasticuture Industry

30 10 Reason for Non-adoption The non-beneficiaries farmers cited foowing reasons for not adopting this technoogy. High capita cost Lack of technica knowedge Lack of awareness regarding subsidie Perception that the system is not required or the system is not economica, therefore not required for the cropping pattern adopted by them. Some farmers aso reported that though they have appied for the subsidy grant but are yet to receive the sanction. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 22 Indian Pasticuture Industry

31 11 Measure to tacke the chaenges Scheme reated Schemes shoud be made avaiabe as per the requisite condition of the fied and environment. A uniform standardized subsidy poicy fais to address the respective issues for specific segments. The impementation is carried out by parae departments, who do not pay adequate attention to the crops of other departments. The best impementation strategy is emuation of the Specia Purpose vehice (SPV) impemented in Gujarat and AP. Technoogy reated Centra testing faciity must be estabished to dea with the design, deveopment & testing of equipment. Government shoud conduct reguar random audit with at east 2% of the beneficiaries within first year of instaation, to ensure that suppiers suppy good quaity instaations. Warranty & After-saes services ought to be monitored by impementing agencies and baance of payment on basis of satisfaction of the beneficiary shoud be considered and evauated. Standardization of components must happen as avaiabiity of fungibe spare part is an issue. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 23 Indian Pasticuture Industry

32 Awareness & Capabiity buiding Current extension network is not making significant impact in creating awareness. Invoving system manufacturers woud increase the existing quaity of the existing network. System manufacturers must carry out frequent demonstration at strategic ocations for creating awareness and be invoved in providing agronomic packages to encourage adoption. System suppiers are as effective as Word of Mouth in creating awareness so they must be invoved in demonstration to potentia beneficiaries. Technica and operationa aspects shoud be mandatory part of training by system suppiers. It is understood that the fied officias invoved in GOI scheme have inadequate knowedge. Refresher course and exposure visits are required to enabe them to deiver the impementation. Foow up action The potentia of these practices are yet to be mapped in the states. If the potentia is mapped, targets for the same coud be fixed and project management efficiency and efficacy coud be tracked. High initia cost of instaation for Micro irrigation is one of the major reasons for disincination of farmers to adopt the technoogy. 1% of the MI outay must be earmarked for R&D and the existing ow cost technoogies must be popuarized for scae up and adoption. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 24 Indian Pasticuture Industry

33 12 Case Study I: Israe In Israe in the year 1984 some visionary farmers took initiatives to work in the direction of sustainabe agricuture. Cost of fresh water at the time was ony 6 cents per cubic meter, so neither the government nor the water company, were interested to pursue the idea further. These farmers however were convinced of the impending water crisis; hence they started spreading awareness about peer group and coected $500,000 to kick-start recaimed water management. Ony after one year of preparation of the detaied pan the banks agreed to give a oan of $700,000. As the project was roed out, government and water company joined the association to create an environment conducive for a sustainabe agricutura practice. The critica dimensions of the program are as foows: Water Rights & Aocation Each famiy farm has fixed entitement of 14,000 m3/year Every cubic meter of fresh water that the farmer trades for recaimed water, earns a 20% suppement of recaimed water Financing & Variabe cost 40% of capita cost for recaimed water irrigation is funded by the government 40% of the variabe cost of recaimed water is covered by the government subsidies Knowedge and Strategy Partner 25 Indian Pasticuture Industry

34 Sab wise rates for fresh water entitement usage incentivizes farmers to switch to recaimed water Water Service Extension Service speciaist provides inputs on nutrition, on basis of monthy anayses, to reduce fertiizer appication He coects data and tests water, soi & crop response to recaimed water Contro center offer partnership to operate & manage irrigation system Water Distribution As per instaed system recaimed water is avaiabe at head of fied Reservoirs hep in better reguation & fexibiity as water can be stored for ean periods Automated onine systems gives aarm signas on mobie phones of any disruptions to users & technicians Governance 4 agencies separatey focus on: Suppy of recaimed water Improve recaimed water quaity by technoogy improvement for desaination Extension of orchard area as potentia areas for recaimed water irrigation Environmenta protection & identify economica options Training Knowedge and Strategy Partner Reguar trainings are arranged by the extension service Knowedge transfer and next steps are discussed in the meetings between association representatives & the eading farmers Such concentrated and coherent efforts have resuted in sustainabe agricuture mode which needs to be emuated esewhere in the word. 26 Indian Pasticuture Industry

35 Learning Right companies or financia agencies must be identified as partners, by associations, depending upon type of deveopment Appropriate support services systems must be provided for technica knowhow n n Technica support for the operation and maintenance Professiona advice through the extension service There must be a mechanism for earning from the fied by tracking the performance of the systems at ground eve A the members in the association must have direct and common interest of benefits for efficient functioning Incusiveness of farmers ensures appropriate attention to their needs in panning and impementation Knowedge and Strategy Partner 27 Indian Pasticuture Industry

36 13 Case Study II: China China since 1990's has been impementing the usage of pastic much to sove the probem of food security and water scarcity. As a resut the appication of pastic in agricuture has increased from tonnes in 1991 to tonnes in The growth rate is ikey to continue to be 8-10% in the next decade. Area cover under pastic muching has increased from 5 miion hectares in 1991 to 20 miion hectares in 2011 and woud cross 30 miion hectares by This and other initiatives have resut in better yieds and water use efficiency. Positive Impact B Maize, wheat, cotton and potato yieds increase by 33.7, 33.2, 26.1 and 36.7%, respectivey Water-use efficiency eves increase by 38.9, 30.2, 30.2 and 37.8% respectivey However, with improved efficiency, there are environmenta probems which are cropping up and what was termed as "White revoution" is getting transformed to "White poution Knowedge and Strategy Partner 28 Indian Pasticuture Industry

37 Tabe 2: Negative effect of Pastic Muches in China Negative Impact Pastic majory made of PVC doesn't degrade in soi Degradation is eading to formation of hazardous chemicas Residua pastic is affecting the crop productivity eg. Cotton yied reduction by 15% The soutions to these environmenta concerns are being discussed and worked upon. Soutions Better quaity pastic woud ensure intactness in use and mechanized recovery Biodegradabe pastic soutions are being deveoped by scientists Deveopment of ight-weight, simpe machinery is required for recovery of residua much fim. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 29 Indian Pasticuture Industry

38 Case of Bio-degradabe pastic One of the major reasons for non-adoption of Pastic much, at a rapid scae, in the farms, is that the much is seen as a poutant in agronomy and there are associated probems with the adoption, impementation and recovery of the pastic from the fied. Pastics from PVC don't degrade, and even if it does, it eads to reease of hazardous chemicas. Recycing is aso restricted as the much gets contaminated with soi or agrichemicas, equipment is unavaiabe for baing, and the faciities for recycing are ong distance away. An interesting soution to this probem is the use of biodegradabe pastic instead of the PVC grade. These pastic grades mineraize fuy into carbon dioxide and water. Commerciay avaiabe muches are made from pant starch, however due to the britteness of the starch; it must be bended with other poymers. These muches are finding appication in Canada and European Union. Starch based products in the market incude Biomax TPS (DuPont, USA), Biopar (Biop, Germany), Paragon (Avebe, Netherands), BiosafeTM (Xinfu Pharmaceutica Co., China), Eastar BioTM (Novamont, Itay), Eco-Fex (BASF, Germany), Ingeo (NatureWorks, USA) and Mater-Bi (Novamont, Itay). Poymers made from poyactic acid (PLA) and poyhydroxyakanoate (PHA) have great promise for future as these are versatie and made from competey 100% renewabe sources (corn and sugar beet starch). New experimenta muches are being prepared from PLA and PHA using new technoogies. An interesting aternative to bio-pastic is biodegradabe paper, which is currenty being used as a substitute in Finand and Egypt. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 30 Indian Pasticuture Industry

39 14. Concusion India is at a crucia juncture when it needs to tacke the issue of food security by optimizing the use of resources, which traditionay has been taken for granted. Pasticuture is a viabe soution for India, to aunch 2nd Green revoution. The paucity of water, ower productivity and inefficient use of fertiizer eading to higher carbon footprint can a be taken care by efficient use of Pasticuture. On the demand side, awareness about the possibe benefits and subsidies avaiabe coud hep in the adoption of technoogy. On the suppy side, effort needs to go in creating the awareness through demonstration, buid credibiity by post-instaation management, technoogy advancement to bring down the capita cost and deveop viabe bio-degradabe aternatives thereby improving the productivity whie reducing the carbon footprint. Government needs to create an environment by promoting the Pasticuture by easy and efficient sanction of subsidies and promoting investments by aocating a share of agricuture budget to R&D. It is important we everage the knowedge bank, which exists in the Indian institutes and tacit understanding of extension services today, to deveop taiored soutions as per the oca conditions and whie aso incorporate earning from other economies. The concentrated effort woud ensure that the growth rate remains sustainabe in foowing years, as the current penetration eve are quite ow. With a systematic industry approach supported by poicies and government, we indeed coud trigger the 2nd Green revoution. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 31 Indian Pasticuture Industry

40 15. Indian Agricuture under a Severe Water Stress: Ushering Prosperity through Water Security Bharat R Sharma Scientist Emeritus (Water Resources), Internationa Water Management Institute, New Dehi Office, India (briwmi@yahoo.co.in ) Access to cean, safe and secure water suppies in India is crucia to a types of panning- rura and urban deveopment, environment and heath issues, poverty aeviation, and biggest consumer of them a, agricuture (Furtado, 2016). And in the current year of 2016 a these sectors and stakehoders have been hit hard. More than 330 miion peope iving in 254 of 678 districts in the country are under the spe of drought. The crisis seems to be unprecedented as 'water trains' ferry water to the parched ands in Maharashtra, women and chidren carry head oads of water from distant ocations sometimes scavenging from deep hoes and gorges, armed muscemen protect the water ponds in Bundekhand, poice officers escort water tankers foowing cases of vioence over water reief distribution and even cricket matches are reocated through court directions. The most distressing is the spurt of hydro-suicides where sma and poor farmers cannot withstand the withering of their cash crops where they have put a their might and borrowed resources. The hardest hit are the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. A tota reief of Rs. 25,277 crore has been disbursed so far by the centra government to these states under the Nationa/ State Disaster Reief Fund and other schemes to reduce the severe impacts. The situation may worsen further ti the expected good monsoons reach these regions. Knowedge and Strategy Partner At the core of this perennia probem occurring with varying magnitudes each year is an age-od cyce of human need and activity- the deficit between demands and suppy of the water resources- particuary the need for irrigation to produce more food. This cyce is now overwheming fresh water resources in critica areas. Economic and agricutura growth modes which we have deveoped over the years are deepy dependent upon the intensive use of water resources. As such our region of the highest agricutura growth which aso produces surpus food to maintain the food security for other regions is aso the 'goba hotspot' of excessive groundwater over-expoitation. This region is argey ocated in the northwest India comprising the states of Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Dehi and 32 Indian Pasticuture Industry

41 Rajasthan. Beneath this region of high agricutura productivity and economic activity groundwater has been continuousy disappearing. The fresh groundwater is being pumped and consumed by human activities - primariy to irrigate cropand which account for 95 per cent of groundwater use- faster than the aquifers can be repenished by natura process. The studies by NASA's GRACE sateite and data from the Indian Ministry of Water Resources have ceary shown that groundwater eves have been continuousy decining by an average of 1 m every three years (one foot every year). More than 109 km3 of groundwater disappeared between 2002 and 2008 and the trend has further intensified. Current rates of water extraction and appication and the dependent food production systems are unsustainabe and the signs of an approaching disaster are aready visibe. If measures are not taken to ensure sustainabe groundwater usage, consequences for 114 miion residents of the region may incude a coapse of agricutura output and severe shortage of potabe water. Fig.1. High water requiring paddy is intensivey cutivated in water-deficit northwest region eading to continuous decine of water tabes. Other regions of severe water stress incude the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, Bundekhand, Teengana, and parts of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. A these sub-regions are part of the Deccan pateau and have an unfavourabe hydro-geoogica regime. Agricuture and rura iveihoods in these Knowedge and Strategy Partner 33 Indian Pasticuture Industry

42 regions are argey rain dependent and are highy vunerabe. In the hardest hit region of Maharashtra three-quarters of the farmand is un-irrigated and rain-fed, 79 % of its farmers are sma and margina and eke out a iving from tiny parces of and. At the same time, rest of the Maharashtra grows water-intensive crops ike sugarcane, banana and cotton abeit with very ow and uneconomica yied eves. Maharashtra aong with a the other districts in this water stressed region require very deep thought and changes. The cropping patterns and the state water and energy poicies need to be synchronised with the existing water, soi, cimatic conditions and the production potentias. The potentia options for a sustainabe soution to the prevaiing drought conditions and aeviation of the future water and agricuture distresses may incude the foowing: i. Decoupe agricuture and economic growth from water use and water poution: Due to inefficiencies in water suppy and consumption systems the existing growth modes, growth centres and the even the growth sectors in the deveoping countries incuding India are highy water-centric and water intensive. Sma deviations in water suppies manifest in arge distress signas. Rate of water resource use is sti increasing at a rate faster than that of economic growth and by 2030, there wi be a 40% gap between water suppy and demand if current trends in water deveopment and management continue. Sustainabe investments in improved technoogies and innovations for improved efficiency and water productivity at the appropriate scae are imperative for decouping water use from economic growth. Knowedge and Strategy Partner Fig. 2. Innovation in soar energy and precision agricuture in poy houses have the potentia of transforming miions of poor rura ives in India. 34 Indian Pasticuture Industry

43 ii. Water harvesting for water security: On a macro-scae India is sufficient in water resources but the main probem arises due to its highy skewed tempora and spatia variations. Water is avaiabe in abundance in seasons (monsoon) and regions (east and northeast, his and coasta regions and esewhere) when the demands are ow and the capacity to store it on the surface and underground is imited. The Centre, state and the Panchayats must buid more dams and storage structures; big, sma and tiny to store a much arger share of the avaiabe rains, once it has satisfied the environmenta needs. For exampe Vidarbha gets more rain than the drier parts of Gujarat, but has deveoped much ess water harvesting infrastructure as Gujarat has, and so suffers much arger. iii. Integrated water resources management: India needs a poicy for nationa, integrated use of water across the country and across a the sectors, based on equitabe entitements for a the Indians. Water maybe aocated on priority and on sustainabe basis to the sector, stakehoder, city/municipaity and viage panchayat which exhibit good 'technica efficiency'-the aocated resource is used most efficienty- ; and 'aocative efficiency'- each cubic metre of water produces high comparative vaue from the resource, 'more crop or vaue per drop of water'. This shoud aso ensure that the user does not poute or contaminate the resource beyond the permissibe imits and shoud put in pace machinery and mechanisms for safe discharge of the used resources. iv. Innovations in improving technica efficiency: In spite of the water shortages, the resource is sti conveyed and consumed in the most inefficient manner eading to high conveyance and appication osses eading to under-served or deprived stakehoders and degradation of the resource. Smarter materias and designs of canas and pipeines shoud be panned to make equitabe and efficient access of water a reaity. To the extent possibe and especiay in critica areas water may be conveyed through underground pipeine systems and farmers encouraged to use pastic conveyance pipes for irrigating the check-basins and furrows. Additionay, such systems wi enhance the input use efficiency of the appied fertiisers and nutrients and improve crop and produce quaity. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 35 Indian Pasticuture Industry

44 Fig.3. Pastic pipes hep in safe and secure water pump age and transportation of the imited water resources. Knowedge and Strategy Partner v. Modern methods of need-based water appication: Pants and crops grow very we when their root zones remained propery watered so that the nutrients can move upwards and pant temperatures remain stabe. Any additiona appications of water are sheer wastage and aso escaate the costs of other inputs. The precision appication of water through microirrigation methods ike drip irrigation, micro-sprinkers and overhead sprinkers are the most appropriate methods to appy right amount of water at the right time and at the right ocation. Benefits of the microirrigation methods are we documented and appreciated a over the word and by thousands of progressive farmers in India. This shoud be promoted and adopted under a suitabe conditions and the few bottenecks for its quick adoption may be addressed as beow: 36 Indian Pasticuture Industry

45 a. The initia high cost of capita investment for a suitabe water source (tubewe/ pump) and the micro-irrigation equipment may be partiay met through subsidies for the deserving categories of farmers and/ or bank credit at affordabe interest rates. The procedure for securing such assistance shoud be simpe with minima documentation, quick and time-bound with transparent pricing and high quaity. b. Most farmers need initia training and capacity buiding for instaation, operation and maintenance of the irrigation equipment. Ideay such programs may be organised at the ocation or in the same viage and a doubts/ queries may be addressed. Enough stocks of spare parts and consumabes may be avaiabe at short notices and in the rura vicinity. c. Good forward and backward inkages may be estabished to remove any bottenecks in the production cyce from suppy of inputs and services, addressing any difficuties during the season and purchase of the produce at appropriate prices so as to cover for a the costs and sufficient margins. vi. Synchronising the production centres with the agro-hydroogy of the region: An important factor for the prevaiing water stress and production under unsustainabe conditions is that our main production centres of the major crops and commodities are ocated in the region which are not hydroogicay suitabe for the current cropping system. It may not be possibe to competey ater the cropping systems but provision of suitabe aternatives ateast in the critica areas may be abe to aeviate the probem and the production systems more aigned with the oca agro-hydroogy. Some of the possibe suggestions are: a. Northwest region of India receives much ess rainfa (around 550 mm), has high temperatures and evaporative demands during summers but sti extensivey cutivates paddy on porous sois with very high water demands. It has got a we-deveoped irrigation infrastructure, agricutura markets and rura roads and farmers aso enjoy free or highy subsidised power for groundwater pumping- a perfect recipe for depetion and over-expoitation. It is estimated that a minimum of 10-15% of the paddy ands in the critica areas need to change their farming systems to incude more of fodder production and dairying, vegetabes and fruits of high cash vaue, and puses and oiseeds. Any perceived shortfa in grain production can be possiby met through the suggested program of 'Bringing Second Green Revoution in the Eastern India'. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 37 Indian Pasticuture Industry

46 Fig. 4. Simpe pastic sheet based sma poyhouses hep in water conservation and high vaue crop production under diverse cimatic conditions. b. Maharashtra has imited rainfa and an inadequate irrigation infrastructure. Severa of its regions perenniay witness water shortages, water distress, and argescae outmigration of humans and catte. Surprisingy, Maharashtra is aso one of the argest cutivator of the water-guzzing sugarcane and cotton crops imited to specific pockets. Water consumed by one hectare of sugarcane or cotton crop can easiy support 3 or 4 hectare of aternate crops of puses and oiseeds, vegetabes and horticuture, dairy farming; chiies, onions and spices; a of which are quite suitabe and remunerative in the region. A part of the sugarcane and cotton region need to be repaced with the suggested cropping systems and production moved to other ocation which are more suitabe for the crops. vi. Innovations in the use of Pastics in the Next-Generation Water-Secure Agricuture Knowedge and Strategy Partner Water security means adequate quantities of water of an acceptabe quaity are avaiabe at the required time and at the required pace or in its vicinity and at an affordabe cost for the user whether he proposes to use it for consumptive purposes (domestic needs) or productive purposes (agricuture, industry, 38 Indian Pasticuture Industry

47 iveihoods, heath and sanitation, environment and aesthetics). Since buk of water in India is avaiabe during a imited season and its avaiabiity is regionay differentiated, the best possibe option is to store it, convey and transport it and finay use it with the utmost efficiency. Pastics are a wonderfu materia which can meet a the above stated needs at a very affordabe cost and hep to use the precious water resource efficienty, productivey and sustainaby. The foowing suggestions need consideration and wide scae adoption: i. Water storage: A medium, micro and tiny water storage structures may be suitaby designed and ined with pastic sheets and or stored in suitabe pastic structures to reduce eakages and wastages. Low density poyethyene ined farm reservoirs/ tanks, jakunds, cisterns, jars offer great opportunity for ong term safe storage of the resource under most cimatic conditions. Under harsher conditions, such structures may be made underground (tankas) or suitaby covered/ thatched with muches to check high evaporative osses. ii. Water conveyance and transportation: In arid, semi-arid, desert, coasta, hiy and other areas of freshwater scarcity, the conveyance and transportation of water through suitabe pastic pipes is highy convenient and desirabe. In areas of Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and severa other states pastic conveyance pipes of ength upto 1 km can be seen during the irrigation season. Besides reducing the conveyance osses, these are idea mechanisms for deveopment of groundwater markets, cooperative sharing of the water resources, tide over the probem of irrigating tiny scattered hodings, and overcome poor water quaity issues. But most of such interventions are taking pace without the active pubic and private support, ack of design of innovative products and services and capacity buiding of the users. A thoughtfu poicy and required actions can kick start and invigorate the water conveyance and transportation sector. iii. Water appication and consumption: This component of the agricutura water management system has received some attention through suitabe designs, manufacturing and services of the micro-irrigation systems in the form of drips, micro-sprinkers and sprinkers. There has aways been a high emphasis on the adoption and popuarisation of these systems and a number of committees and projects have made usefu recommendations. The twin objectives of the most recent program of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojanana of 'providing water to each farm' and 'more crop per drop' can be reaised ony with Knowedge and Strategy Partner 39 Indian Pasticuture Industry

48 Fig.5. Micro-irrigation industry heps to convert water-intensive ow-vaue agricuture to a high-vaue diversified agricuture. (Photo credit: IWMI) with an active support and vision from the pastic based irrigation industry. In spite of a the past and present emphasis, the actua need fet by the farmers and panners and potentia of this industry, the gains and spread of this sector has been sma and argey driven by the state and centra subsidies and supports. The need is to come out of this mode of growth and deveop the products and services which are affordabe to a the interested farmers. The economic parameters of B:C ratios, IRRs and the pay-back periods may be greaty improved in such a manner that farmers find it highy attractive and the adoption of micro-irrigation becomes a sef-driven mass movement. This sha be a win-win situation for the pastic industry, ushering in of the next generation agricuture and conversion of water-stressed-agricuture to watersecure productive agricuture. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 40 Indian Pasticuture Industry

49 16. Per Drop More Crop: It's now or Never By Mr. Puneet Singh Thind Director, Vegetabe Grower Association of India We never know the worth of water; ti the we is dry. Nature reminds us once again how precious Water is for our ives; as evident from recent pictures of Latur and other parts of India. Drying ponds, dying animas/birds, faiing crops, reguar droughts; a these are the aarming indicators for human ife. Likewise, in farming the chaenge of Irrigation Water is a critica input too. How much, at what time and how pants are watered has determining effect on the eventua yied. Good seeds and fertiizer fai to achieve their fu potentia if pants are not optimay watered. Adequate avaiabiity of water is important for anima husbandry as we. Fisheries are, of course, directy dependent on water resources. Increasing incomes, growing urbanization and rising prosperity are rapidy changing the composition of food basket away from cereas towards high vaue agricutura commodities such as fruits, vegetabes, mik, poutry, fish and meat. Athough per capita consumption of food grains has decined over the years, its tota demand has been projected to increase due to increase in popuation and indirect demand from feed. Most of the fruits, vegetabes and ivestock products are more water intensive as compared to cereas other than rice. Further preference to have fresh fruits and vegetabes in a the seasons is resuting in increase in their cutivation in off season requiring much higher use of water. The amount of water required to produce a unit of anima origin products ( chicken, mutton and eggs) is much higher than pant origin products (cereas, puses and oiseeds). India accounts for about 17 per cent of the word's popuation but ony 4 per cent of the word fresh water resources. Distribution of these water resources across the vast expanse of the country is aso uneven. At present, irrigation consumes about 84 per cent of tota avaiabe water. Industria and domestic sectors consume about 12 and 4 per cent of tota avaiabe water, respectivey. With irrigation predicted to remain the dominant user of water, "per drop more crop" is an imperative. The efficiency of water use ies majory on two fronts i.e. expanding the area under irrigation with the same avaiabe water and conserving the water through efficient Knowedge and Strategy Partner 41 Indian Pasticuture Industry

50 Knowedge and Strategy Partner 42 Indian Pasticuture Industry practices. Irrigation infrastructure in India has seen substantia expansion over the years. The tota irrigation potentia created (IPC) from major, medium and minor irrigation schemes has increased from 22.6 miion hectares during pre-pan period to 113 miion hectares at the end of the 11th Pan. Because this irrigation potentia represents 81% of India's utimate irrigation potentia estimated at 140 miion hectares, the scope for further expansion of irrigation infrastructure on a arge scae is imited. Therefore, priority must be given to improving the utiization of irrigation potentia of the existing irrigation potentia. Over the years, there has been significant shift in the sources of irrigation. The share of cana in net irrigated area has decined from 39.8 % in to 23.6 % in Aongside, the share of groundwater sources has increased from 28.7 % to a whopping 62.4 % during the same period. This expansion refects the reiabiity and higher irrigation efficiency of 70-80% in groundwater irrigation compared with 25-45% in cana irrigation. Whie proving to be a vauabe source of irrigation expansion, injudicious utiization of groundwater through the exposion of tube wes has raised severa sustainabiity issues. Athough overa deveopment of groundwater (groundwater draft as a proportion of the tota avaiabiity) is 62 per cent, there exists wide regiona variabiity. Over-dependence on groundwater beyond sustainabe eve use has resuted into significant decine in the groundwater tabe, especiay in northwest India. The Centra Groundwater Board has categorised 16.2 per cent of the tota assessment units-bocks, Mandas or Taukas-numbering 6607 as 'Over-expoited'. It's vita that Agricuture has to move from traditiona crop centric farming to agripastora-farm forestry systems (fruit trees, shrubs, perennia grasses and sma ruminants). Cross-country comparison of water use efficiency shows that India uses 2-3 times the water used to produce one tonne of grain in countries ike China, Brazi and USA. This impies that with water use efficiency of those countries India can at east doube irrigation coverage or save 50 per cent water currenty used in irrigation. Achieving these gains woud require the appication of mutipicity of instruments. These may incude: 2 Moisture index = [{actua rainfa (P0)-potentia evapotranspiration (PET)}/ PET]*100. PET is the water requirement to meet the evaporation and transpiration needs of a arge area competey and uniformy covered with growing vegetation having access to an unimited suppy of soi water and without advection or heating effects. The method of irrigation foowed in the country is food irrigation, which resuts in a ot of water oss. Greater efficiency in irrigation can be achieved through proper designing of irrigation system for reducing water conveyance

51 oss. Adoption of water saving technoogies such as sprinker and drip irrigation system have proven extremey effective in not just water conservation but aso eading to higher yieds by deivering water in a controed manner in parts of the pant where it is most efficienty absorbed. New agronomic practices ike raised bed panting, ridge-furrow method of sowing, sub-surface irrigation, precision farming offers vast scope for economising water use. Promotion of aternative methods of panting such as System of Rice Intensification and Direct Seeded Rice can ead to water saving and productivity increases. Water productivity can be improved by adopting the concept of mutipe use of water, which is beyond the conventiona sectora barriers of the productive sectors. There is scope for increasing the income through crop diversification and integration of fish, poutry and other enterprises in the farming system. Mutipe use of water approach generates more income benefits, decreases vunerabiity by aowing more diversified iveihood strategies and increases sustainabiity of ecosystem. Emphasis shoud be given on water resources conservations through watershed deveopment in suitabe areas and deveopment of micro-water structures for rainwater harvesting. The promotion of water conservation efforts has direct impications for water resources avaiabiity, groundwater recharge and socio-economic conditions of the popuation. Speciaised soution is required in chronicay water stressed areas where the norma measures may not be effective. Connecting highy water stressed areas with perennia source of water through inking of rivers or water grids is one such option. The vaue added agri-horti-pastora agro-forestry systems and aternative source of iveihood are required in these districts. These districts coud be idea candidates for prioritised intervention of watershed pus activities (water conservation aong with iveihood support activities) under recenty aunched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) and convergence with MGNREGA. Farmer Organisations, Farmer Producer Organisations, Viage Leve Cooperatives, Viage Panchyat, NGOs and civic bodies wi have to pay an important roe in educating farmers to adopt these water saving practices whie not to take the things for granted anymore. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 43 Indian Pasticuture Industry

52 17. A Window to Pasticuture By Mr. P S Singh Head, Chemicas & Petrochemicas Division, FICCI 1. Right usage of water is becoming increasingy important given the fact that India currenty supports neary 17.84% of the word popuation, with 2.4% and and 4 % of water resources. At the same time, monsoons are aso becoming erratic. The resutant is aarming fa in ground water eves. At present, irrigation consumes about 84 per cent of tota avaiabe water As per Economic survey of India February 2016, athough water is one of India's most scarce natura resources, India uses 2 to 4 times more water to produce a unit of major food crop then does China and Brazi. 2. As per Internationa Water Management Institute, during the past decade, groundwater in various parts of the country, esp. beneath the northern Indian states of Punjab, Haryana & western UP has faen at an aarming eve. This wi impact the food security of the nation as the region aso happens to be its 36N 33N 30N 27N 24N 21N 18N 15N 12N 9N Punjab Haryana & Dehi Rajasthan 69E 72E 75E 78E 81E 84E 87E 90E 93E 96E (Credit: NASA/Matt Rode, Source Internationa Water Management Institute) food bow. The given map shows the groundwater withdrawas as a percentage of groundwater recharge. 3. The resutant is aarming fa in ground water eves pacing at risk, the nationa food security mission. It is imperative that the country gives focus to efficient usage of water in Agricuture. As per Word Resources Institute, 54 % of India faces high to extremey high Water stress Knowedge and Strategy Partner 44 Indian Pasticuture Industry

53 4. Pasticuture - Need of the Hour Pasticuture viz: the use of pastics in agricuture, horticuture, water management and reated areas provides an answer to the probem. The usages of pastics not ony maximize the output of farms but aso optimize the input factors thereby eading to high productivity of crops aong with efficiencies in time and cost invoved. It is estimated through appropriate adoption of microirrigation technoogies can resut in water saving up to around %. Consumption of fertiiser is aso reduced through fertigation. The resuting improvement in net farm incomes is substantia. The tabe beow provides benefits of pasticuture appications. S.No. Pasticuture Appications Water Saving (%) Water Use Fertiizer Use Efficiency (%) Efficiency (%) 1 Drip Irrigation System Sprinke Irrigation System Pastic Muching Greenhouse Shade nets Under Tria 6 Pastic Tunne do- 7 Farm Pond Lined with Not Appicabe Pastic Fim Source: NCPAH 1. The growing use of pastics in different segments of economy has been very usefu. The use of pastics esp. in agricuture has heped farmers increase crop production, improve food quaity as aso in more efficient usage of water resources. 2. In order to meet the food grain requirements of the nation, the agricutura productivity and its growth needs to be sustained and further improved. Given the imitation of the important input, viz: water, Pasticuture can pay a very important roe in same. 3. Pasticuture (viz: the use of pastics in agricuture, horticuture, watermanagement, food grains storage and reated areas) is a good answer to this chaenge of water shortage. It can pay an important roe in faciitating judicious usage of water. It is estimated that appropriate appications of microirrigation technoogies can resut in water saving upto %. At the same time, consumption of fertiizers is aso reduced thru Fertigation. Pasticuture Knowedge and Strategy Partner 45 Indian Pasticuture Industry

54 appications offer a mutitude of benefits and are considered most important indirect agricutura inputs which resuts in moisture conservation, water saving, reduction in fertiizer consumption. It aso heps in precise appication of water & nutrients, and use of innovative packaging soutions hep in increasing shef-ife and during coection, storage & transportation of fruits and vegetabes. 4. A promising way forward, to increase productivity whie conserving water (more for ess), is to adopt micro irrigation methods. In drip irrigation for exampe, perforated pipes are paced either above or sighty beow ground and drip water on the roots and stems of pants, directing water more precisey to crops that need it. An efficient drip irrigation system reduces consumption of fertiiser (through fertigation8) and water of the pant and hence there is ess wastage. Yieds of crops aso went up - up to 45 per cent in wheat, 20 per cent in gram and 40 per cent in soybean. The resuting improvement in net farm incomes is substantia. Unti now micro-irrigation techniques, owing to high fixed costs of adoption, have mosty been used for high vaue crops. However, recent research has shown its feasibiity even in wheat and rice. 5. Due to their versatiity, and imperviousness to water, Pastics save significant amounts of energy and water resources and emit ower quantum of green house gases. They have aready dispaced many traditiona materias, such as wood, eather, paper, meta, gass and ceramic, in most of their former uses. Pasticuture appications are one of the most usefu indirect economy & agricuture inputs with huge unreaized potentia such as: Water Management-Lining of canas, ponds & reservoirs with pastics fim/drip & sprinker irrigation system/water conveyance using PVC & HDPE pipes & Sub-surface drainage Nursery Management-Nursery bags, Pots, Pro-trays, Root trainers, Coco peats, Hanging baskets, Pastic trays, etc. Surface cover cutivation -Soi Soarisation /Pastics Muching Controed environment agricuture-greenhouses/shade net houses/pastic tunnes/pant protection nets Knowedge and Strategy Partner Innovative Packaging Soutions-Pastic crates, bins, boxes, eno bags, unit packaging nets etc/cap covers, controed atmospheric packaging (CAP) & modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) Organic Farming-HDPE vermin bed 46 Indian Pasticuture Industry

55 6. Benefits of Pasticuture Appications- Same can hep the country to meet both food and nutrition needs at a time when popuation growth +1% per annum with depeting natura resources such as and & water. 7. Whie the usage and benefits of pastics are manifod, the sector has an image issue (which can be inked to inappropriate civic handing of waste). The myth regarding the pouting characteristic of pastic needs to be addressed in a very scientific manner. If pastics can be coected and disposed off or recyced as per aid down guideines/rues, the issue of pastic waste can be suitaby addressed. In fact, there is good potentia for industries based on re-cycing of pastics waste. 8. However, the quantum of usage of pasticuture appications is sti imited in India. Out of tota 126 miion hectares (mha) of area under cutivation in the country, an area of 69.6 miion hectares hods potentia for micro-irrigation. At present ony about 7.5 miion hectares is covered by micro-irrigation. This indicates huge gap/potentia for micro-irrigation in the country. 9. In a recent survey conducted on the GoI scheme for Nationa Mission on Micro Irrigation (NMMI), it is highighted that scheme has performed we in terms of reduction in input cost to the tune of 20% - 50% aong with energy savings. Approximatey 7.4 mha have been covered under GoI scheme. Performance of eading states under GOI Schemes Karnataka, 11% Haryana, 8% Madhya Pradesh, 5% Tami Nadu, 4% % Area Covered MI Chattishgarh, 4% Rajasthan, 23% Gujrat, 12% Maharashtra, 17% Knowedge and Strategy Partner Performance of Leading states under GOI Schemes 47 Indian Pasticuture Industry

56 10. Incidentay the enhanced appication of pasticuture concept wi aso create opportunities for the Indian pastic industry. Pastics such as PVC, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PTFEE etc find good appications in the sector. As we are aware, there is a huge unreaised potentia of further growth of pastic industry as indicated by the present very ow per capita consumption eve in the country. The same is ony about 10 kgs in india compared to word average of 28kgs and about 109 kgs in USA. 11. Concuding, it can be stated that the pasticuture appications hod huge importance because of their reationship to water conservation and nationa food security. A very focused campaign to create awareness about its usage (thru demonstration centres) in which farmers are partners wi be hepfu. At the same time, there is need to ensure avaiabiity of quaity products based on good standards by industry. There is aso need for bringing out iterature on the subject in regiona anguages, which may aso incude case studies. These steps wi go a very ong way in promoting the idea of pasticuture in India. Knowedge and Strategy Partner 48 Indian Pasticuture Industry

57 18. References 1. Ministry of Water resources(mowr) 2. Agro pages website 3. Ministry of statistics and program impementation 4. Agricuture Census NABARD data bank statistics 6. Ministry of environment, forest and cimate change. 7. Indian Meteoroogica Department 8. Department of Agricuture and Cooperation annua reports. 9. Internationa food poicy research institute. 10. FAO Statistics 11. CropLife America 12. Department of Agricuture 13. Department of chemicas and petrochemicas 14. Business Standard artices 15. TATA Strategic Management Group's databases Knowedge and Strategy Partner 49 Indian Pasticuture Industry

58 19. About Tata Strategic Founded in 1991 as a division of Tata Industries L t d, Ta t a S t r a t e g i c Management Group is the a r g e s t I n d i a n o w n management consuting firm. It has a 50 member strong consuting team supported by a pane of d o m a i n e x p e r t s. Ta t a Strategic has undertaken engagements, with over 300 cients, across countries and sectors. It has a growing cient base outside India with increasing presence outside the Tata Group. A majority of revenues now come from outside the group and more than 20% revenues from cients outside India. Tata Strategic offers a comprehensive range of soutions covering Direction Setting, Driving Strategic Initiatives and Impementation Support Our Offerings Formuate Strategy Competitive Strategy: Entry/Growth M & A Support New Biz Modes Organization Saes & Marketing Operations Strategy-Cuture Aignment Change Management Taent Management Famiy Governance Deveop Soutions for Strategic Priorities Route to Market Saes Effectiveness Rura Expansion Suppy Chain Deivery Biz Process Optimization Knowedge and Strategy Partner 50 Indian Pasticuture Industry Drive Impementation & Change Resuts and Benefits* Revenue Market Share Cost Throughput Key Miestones Profit Lead Time Uptime *Iustrative

59 20. Tata Strategic Contacts Manish Pancha Sr. Practice Head - Chemicas, Logistics and Energy E-mai: manish.pancha@tsmg.com Phone: Karthikeyan.K.S Principa - Chemicas E-mai: karthikeyan.ks@tsmg.com Phone: Report co-authored by Abhishek Kumar, Associate Consutant (abhishek.kumar@tsmg.com) and Manish Ratna, Business Anayst (manish.ratna@tsmg.com). Knowedge and Strategy Partner 51 Indian Pasticuture Industry