Assessing the cost-effectiveness and adoption barriers of micro-irrigation (drip, sprinkler) among smallholders in Karjat (Ahmednagar District)

Karjat taluka in Ahmadnagar district of the state Maharashtra lies under a semi-arid drought-prone agro-climatic zone with seasonal water scarcity trade-off, which limits its agricultural productivity. Farmers have to rely on wells and traditional irrigation, with very little mechanised infrastructure. Micro-irrigation (MI), including drip and sprinkler technologies, allows improved water-use efficiency, higher yields, and income, but its range in adoption is relatively limited due to high capital costs, technical constraints and institutional bottlenecks. Evaluation of cost-effectiveness and Barriers to adoption in the study area: MI was assessed for its cost-effectiveness in Karjat by making use of the secondary data through government reports, district plans, aquifer studies, and academic literature. The economic model for the 1–3 ha holdings is based on investment and borrowing costs, PMKSY subsidies, higher yields obtained from alternate row planting systems for sorghum/pearl millet/cotton, and crop price variability. Findings demonstrate that MI can be profitable, especially for high-value crops like sugarcane, onion, and vegetables, with payback periods of 0.5 yrs to 2 years and even benefit–cost ratios over 2 throughout the life of the system; profitability is lower in cereals and pulses. Barriers to adoption are further classed as financial (excessive upfront cost, credit access), technical (design, maintenance), institutional (subsidy delays, weak coordination) and social (risk-averse, peer influence). Managing these barriers by an integrative intervention is necessary to harness the potential of MI in enhancing water productivity and resilience in the economically distressed agriculture practices of Karjat.