Gangavathi, 16 Dec

 As farmers at Koppal district’s Gangavathi taluk — known as the ‘Rice Bowl of Karnataka’ — prepare for the harvesting of rabi crops, an unprecedented drought, unseen in the past six years, casts a looming shadow over the Tungabhadra command area spanning Koppal, Ballari and Raichur districts. Renowned for its Sona Masuri rice, this region is grappling with a severe water crisis as Karnataka received only 25 per cent rainfall during the southwest monsoon.

Tungabhadra reservoir held 12.503 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water on 10 December against its live storage capacity of around 100.8 tmcft, excluding around 33 tmcft of silt that has accumulated in the dam bed over the last 50 years.

The remaining 12 tmcft of water is not enough to be used for irrigation this season as well as the next season. “We need a minimum of 80 tmcft of water in the dam for releasing it for irrigation in Tungabhadra command area,” Chief Engineer of Tungabhadra Dam Project, Maltesh HS, told Salar News. “This situation signals no positive outlook for kharif crops this year." 

Agriculture experts suggest that the drought is expected to impact the Gangavathi ecosystem, and has prompted farmers to contemplate migration to other towns and cities in search of employment for the next six-eight months.

Salar News caught up with the farmers residing in Gangavathi taluk, which is known as a centre for agricultural development activities in the region.

Traditionally, November and December is when labourers and machines are deployed for paddy cultivation across the district. But a few farmers, particularly in the Gangavathi regions, have started the kharif cultivation using locally available water sources, holding onto the hope that dam water will be available soon. 

Nagasimha, a farmer from the taluk who leased five hectares, said, "I cultivated the Kharif crops as quickly as possible, but water shortage is a harsh reality. I have to now look for a job in the city to take care of my family and education with the lease amount to be paid to the owner.”

Impact on rice mills, farmer associations and contract workers

Gangavathi has long relied on monoculture, specifically centred around the cultivation of paddy, a tradition upheld for centuries. Over time, this agricultural ecosystem included dairy farming, fertiliser shops, farming equipment suppliers, and rice mills.

Last year, the Gangavathi region witnessed a rice production of 2.50 lakh bags. With the current situation, the Farmer Association of the Gangavathi region say after six years, these interconnected systems face the prospect of shutting down for a season, resulting in substantial losses. 

Suryanaryana Chiakori, a rice mill owner with 25 years of experience, said, "More than 400 rice mills are operating in the region, producing around 20 million quintals of paddy in the first crop season and around 10 million quintals in the second season. As the second season crops don't go into the mills, the mills are set to shut down for a season."

The Farmer Association noted that 80 per cent of women in the region are engaged in contract work related to paddy cultivation. The drought has forced contract farm workers to move elsewhere for employment.  

Young farmers seek sustainable alternatives

The government imposed a ban on the export of the popular 'Sona Masoori' rice from Gangavathi after reports of increased use of chemicals and pesticides in the production. As a result, young farmers say they hope to explore alternative job options over concerns about the soil's fertility due to decades of rice cultivation.

Gopala Krishna K, a 24-year-old farmer, said: "I would like to explore organic farming and not depend solely on one crop. If there is encouragement or funding for alternative resources, we, young farmers, can collectively initiate the change." He said there is a need for the government to provide alternative solutions and for researchers to study the land, offering insights into what other alternative crops can be grown.

Reality vs government’s reality

In response to the severe drought affecting the State, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda in the Belagavi assembly said Rs 895 crore has been allocated for drought management. He said despite the lack of relief funds from the Central government, the State government has decided to release the first instalment of Rs 2,000 as drought relief to farmers. However, the panchayat of Gangavathi has raised concerns that by the time the government sends relief to the taluk, many farmers would have already migrated. 

Crop rotation and policy support to the rice bowl

Experts propose that the government should offer crop rotation as a solution to the crisis. Experts believe that the practice of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land will improve soil health, optimise nutrients in the soil and combat pest and weed pressure. It allows farmers to dedicate one season to paddy and another to pulses, tur, channa, and oilseed. With these, farmers can also get their soil fertility back and promote ecological balance, constituting a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach.

Dr TN Prakash Kammardi, former chairman of Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission, said the government needs to establish a minimum support price to encourage farmers to transition from monoculture to alternative crops. He raises a cautionary note, suggesting that without such measures, Karnataka could face agricultural challenges akin to Rajasthan. –Salar News