Economics, ethics and politics of groundwater
Dr. Aditi Mukherji IWMI
5th World Water Forum, Istanbul20th March 2009
Water Ethics
The Big PictureRapid risein GW* irrigation
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
1950
-51
1953
-54
1956
-57
1959
-60
1962
-63
1965
-66
1968
-69
1971
-72
1974
-75
1977
-78
1980
-81
1983
-84
1986
-87
1989
-90
1992
-93
1995
-96
1998
-99
Years
Are
a ir
rig
ated
(h
a)
Canals Wells and tubewells Tanks and other sources
Private ownershipOn demand irrigationTimeliness AdequacyFlexibility
*GW: Groundwater Source: Government of India data, 1950-2000
Rising contribution of groundwater
0
20
40
60
1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161 181 201 221 241
Districts
% o
f A
gricu
ltu
ra
l G
DP
0
20
40
60
1 21 41 61 81 101 121 141 161 181 201 221 241Districts
Percen
ta
ge t
o A
gric
ult
ura
l G
DP
% contribution of SWI to Agricultural GDP % contribution of GWI to Agricultural GDP
1970-73
1990-93
BUT, depletion, scarcityand over-exploitation have
emerged as serious problems
Source: Deb Roy, A., and T. Shah, 2003. 'Socio-Ecology of Groundwater Irrigation in India'. In Llamas, R and E. Custodio (eds.): Intensive Use of Groundwater: Challenges and Opportunities. Swets and Zetlinger Publishing Co., the Netherlands, pp: 307-335.
The Problem Statement
Are depletion and scarcity the only reality?
Are there pockets of under-utilization?
Can GW alleviate poverty in these regions?Eastern Indo-Gangetic basin
has huge GW potential
Source: Central Groundwater Board (CGWB), 2004
ConcentratedRural poverty
Source: Figure created by Aditi Mukherji, 2009 using data from Government of India sources.
And dieselisedGW economy“The energy squeeze”
Leading to economicscarcity of GW in a land
of abundance
Source: Aditi Mukherji (author)
If the solution exists, why not implement? The political ecology perspective
GW policies
Agrarian politics GW resources
Related Publications
• Mukherji, A.2009. Economics, ethics and politics of groundwater: evidence from West Bengal, India. In Llamas, M. R.; Martinez-Cortina, L.; Mukherji, Aditi. (Eds.). Water ethics: Marcelino Botin Water Forum 2007. Leiden, Netherlands: CRC Press. pp.205-226.
• Mukherji, A. 2007. Economics, ethics and politics of groundwater: Evidence from West Bengal, India. Paper presented at 3rd Marcelino Botin Foundation Water Workshop, Santander, Spain, 12-14 June 2007. 27p.
Thank You
For more information visit: http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Book_Chapters/index.aspx#