The agricultural ‘growth’ seen in the recent past in Gujarat is nothing but a good recovery from a major dip in production occurred during the drought years of 1999 and 2000, because of four consecutive years of successful monsoon and bulk water transfer through the Sardar Sarovar project. The real ‘miracle growth’ in Gujarat’s agriculture appears to have occurred during the period from 1988 to 1998.
The analyses presented in this paper provide important lessons for water management in other semi-arid and arid regions of the country, not only because of their implications for agricultural production, but also their positive linkage with advancements in human development and economic growth. The key sub sectors which have contributed to this growth are identified and the trends in cropped area, yield and total production systematically examined. Further, the factors which might have actually changed the agriculture growth scenario in the state are identified.
The state’s water and energy policy had catalyzed uncontrolled exploitation of groundwater with mining in many areas. The state hadn’t seriously thought on the sustainable use of its water resource so far. In the process it had used up all its renewable water resources, both surface and underground, and also most of the groundwater stock available in the alluvial basins of semi-arid areas. The ‘criticality’ of rains to the state’s agriculture had become greater than ever before. This is a dangerous situation.
The study concludes that -
The paper can be downloaded here