Study on the impact of major irrigation projects on rice cultivation in Telangana using remote sensing

Rice is the predominant food grain in the state of Telangana, and recent major irrigation projects have altered the pattern and extent of paddy cultivation across various districts. The study estimates paddy crop acreage using the ISODATA unsupervised classification technique with Sentinel 2 data, focusing on the trend analysis of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values between 2017 and 2022. The classified image were validated using ground truth data and official records, with classification accuracy assessed via the Kappa Coefficient method. Results revealed a high classification accuracy of 85–90%. From 2017 to 2022, a notable expansion of rice cultivation was observed, particularly in the western and southern regions of Telangana, driven by large-scale irrigation projects such as Kaleshwaram and Kalavakurthy. Significant irrigation infrastructure development under the Godavari and Krishna rivers, have substantially enhanced paddy area and productivity in Telangana. Initiatives like Kaleshwaram in 2020 and Mission Kakatiya, focused on renovating local tanks and ponds, have improved groundwater levels and expanded irrigated areas, eventually increasing paddy cultivation. However, 2021-22 experienced a decline in paddy acreage, primarily driven by governmental policies aimed at promoting crop diversification and the cessation of Rabi rice procurement. Predominantly irrigated, paddy cultivation is extensive across all districts except Adilabad, with the highest concentrations in northern and central Telangana. Regions characterized by deep black or light red sandy loamy soils had exhibited lower percentages of paddy cultivation. Acreage estimation and a five-year trend analysis of paddy cultivation provide critical insights into the agricultural landscape of Telangana. The observed trends profound the impact of government interventions and irrigation projects on the region's agricultural practices and productivity.