Vol. 10, Issue 8 (2021)

Author(s):
Urmi Chawra, Gouranga Kar, Harsh Vardhan Puranik and GK Das

Abstract:
This study presents the climate change impact on crop water footprint (WF) for the state, Chhattisgarh for all 27 district in three crops mainly rice, wheat and maize. The reference evapotranspiration, crop water requirement and irrigation scheduling has been computed with the help of CROPWAT 8.0 model developed by FAO using the crop, soil and weather data. The blue and green crop water footprints were estimated for 27 districts for present and future climatic scenarios (2030, 2050 &2070) of Chhattisgarh. Results revealed that an increment of evapotranspiration in rice was found 1.45%, 4.13% and 6.3% in the year 2030, 2050 and 2070, respectively as compared to 2018. Similarly in wheat and maize crop, an increment of 1.46, 4.13 & 6.3% and 1.18, 3.32 & 5.11% was recorded in future scenarios when compared to present. The WF of present climatic scenario (2018) comes out to be 3784, 2749 and 1743 m3/t, respectively in rice, wheat and maize crop. However, the highest WF was calculated for district Kabirdham in rice, Sukma in wheat and Bemetara in maize crop. WF of rice increases 2.57% in 2030, followed by 7.27% in 2050 and 11.27% in 2070 as compared to the baseline (2018), respectively. Similarly, for crop wheat and maize, the percentage increment were 2.89%, 8.54% & 14.68% and 2.22%, 7.14% and 11.76%, respectively. In total water footprint, share of green water footprint will decrease and share of blue water footprint will increase in rice and wheat crop in all the districts under future climatic scenarios as compared to present climatic conditions. While green and blue water footprint will be stable in maize crop in all the districts under future climatic scenarios. With increase in temperature extremities and fluctuating rainfall pattern in the upcoming years, fresh water availability and crop production is going to witness a downfall. The result provides a deeper insight into the current and future field water situation in the state. The water footprint hints us regarding use of field water as well as water saving opportunities. Variations in WF is found due to variability in rainfall amount and field management practices adopted in several districts. In rice, district Dhamtari, Janjgir-Champa in wheat, district Narayanpur, Kondagoan; and in maize, district Dhamtari, Kondagoan shows lowest remarkable total water footprint values.