How Groundwater Extraction is Determined in Crop Production? — An Empirical Study in a Coastal District of Odisha

Groundwater is becoming essential for irrigation due to its accessibility, quality, and erratic and untimely rainfall. The study aims to investigate groundwater usage in agricultural production in the Indian state of Odisha. The district-level secondary data from 2009 to 2017 of rainfall, cropping intensity, irrigation intensity, and groundwater scenario have been analyzed through QGIS mapping. It is found that increased reliance on groundwater due to negative rainfall deviation from normal and improved irrigation access, particularly in coastal areas, has favored diversification toward rice monoculture. Based on the primary survey from two villages of Balasore district, a coastal district of Odisha, 100 farmers using groundwater for irrigation were interviewed following a multi-stage random sampling technique. Farmer’s characteristics, farm’s characteristics, agricultural inputs, and institutional mechanization, such as soil testing, are taken as dependent variables. Results of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) indicate that the farmer’s age, soil testing, crop diversification, land size, per-capita food consumption, and self-financing significantly impact groundwater use. The study highlights farmers’ expertise, judicious input usage, stagnant water issues, and the reliance on water-intensive crops like paddy, impacting groundwater utilization. The study recommends promoting awareness about soil health and investing in water conservation infrastructure to ensure sustainable groundwater use.