CROP DIVERSIFICATION

An initiative to bring back life of soil,

water and air.
About Punjab:
 Area (geographical) : 5.04 m ha

 Net sow area: 4.2 m ha

 Total cropped area: 7.9 m ha

 Net Irrigated area: 4.07 m ha(97.9%)

• Tubewells irrigated: 2.95 m ha (73%) through 13.81 lakh
tubewells
• Canals irrigated : 1.12 m ha (27%)

 Cropping intensity: 189.6%

 Major Cropping Systems : Rice-Wheat;

Cotton-Wheat; and
Maize-Wheat.
CROP CULTURE OF PUNJAB
In Punjab, the two cereal crops, wheat and rice, are primarily grown
in rotation during a year. Rice is the principal crop of Kharif season
and wheat is the principal crop of Rabi season

• KHARIF CROPS • RABI CROPS

– Rice – Wheat
– maize – peas
– cotton – gram
– groundnut – oilseeds
– jowar – Barley
– bajra – Sugarcane
 CURRENT SITUATION

The state has witnessed a considerable change on cropping pattern in

the post green revolution era with major focus on wheat-paddy
crop rotation.

• The area under wheat and paddy has increased manifolds during
the last 5 decades
• Area under oilseeds, pulses, maize other cereals, etc has
decreased sharply.
• The area under cotton & sugarcane has remained more or less
constant.
 Effects of Monocropping
• Exploitation of natural resources
Replacement of Multi- cropping pattern with
monoculture of wheat and rice has resulted in
exploitation of natural resources of state especially water
and soil, besides leading to loss of floral biodiversity.
• Higher use of irrigation water, fertilizers and pesticides
Most HYVs are highly input intensive leading to higher
use of irrigation water, fertilizers and pesticides for their
optimum growth and yield.
• Effect on Soil fertility
The high cropping intensity severely affects soil fertility as
it leaves no time natural rejuvenation.
Decline in Water Table
Use of ground water in excess has lead to fall in water table. The
water table has receded at average annual rate of 0.70 meter(m) all
across the with a range of water table decline from 0.10 m to 4.0 m.
The Central Ground Water Authority has notified many blocks in
state for restricting and banning the construction of new structures
for extraction of ground water for any use other than drinking.
WATER POLLUTION IN PUNJAB

In Punjab, following are the causes of water pollution:Rapid increase

in population
– Urbanization,
– Industrialization
– Agricultural practices

• Direct point sources: Transfer of pollutants from industrial and

municipal waste water disposal sites and refuse.
• Diffuse agricultural sources: Run off and soil erosion from
agricultural lands carrying chemical fertilizers, herbicides and
pesticides.
CHALLENGES OF WATER SECTOR

• Ever Increasing demand

• Depletion of Ground Water
• Canal efficiency below their designated capacity
• Deterioration of Water Quality
• Water logging in South-Western districts
• Potable drinking water accessibility in South-Western districts