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#