Introducing winter rice cropping by using non-saline tidal water influx in western basins of South 24 Parganas, India

Abstract

Abstract A population exceeding 3.8 million people in the western region of 24-Parganas (South) is directly or indirectly reliant on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood. The agricultural trend shows a clear lack of multi-cropping with a drop of nearly 30% in rice cultivation during the winter season. Nearly 50% of the region is directly dependent on canals. The introduction of tidal water in the canal network provides an exceptionally economical and highly effective mode of irrigation water supply. The primary aim of the study was to identify the cartographic characteristics and channel hydraulics in the summer season. It was noted that the canals have a wide discharge range of 0.03–540.03 m3/s, average evaporation loss of 9.07 mm/day with a seepage loss ranging from 0.04 to 6.36 m3/s. The tidal water ingress quantity was calculated to be 4.17 Mm3, 5.32 Mm3, 1.88 Mm3 at Diamond Harbour sluice (Sl.), Kulpi Sl. and Kholakhali Sl. respectively. It was denoted that the augmentation of tidal backwater six times monthly would suffice the winter crop water requirement for the majority of the basins. This would result in the production of 172.13 kt which was previously 17.6 kt resulting in an increase of production by 878.01%. The per capita income would also be increased by nearly 978% for the season, resulting in the macro-socioeconomic upliftment of the region.