Potential of Improved Irrigation Technologies for Onion Farming in Maharashtra, India: A Study of Productivity and Adoption Drivers

Rajiv Kale^1*Abhishek Dilip Gavhane¹S S Gadge¹A Thangasamy¹SAGAR WAYAL¹Shivam Gaikwad¹Sharadveer Singh¹Sanket J More¹Vishal S Thorat²Kiran Khandagale¹Vijay Mahajan¹

• ¹Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (ICAR), Pune, India
• ²Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, India

The onion cultivation sector in India is grappling with severe challenges, including acute water scarcity, labour shortages, and a sluggish adoption of sustainable agronomic practices. These issues collectively exacerbate the sector's vulnerability to climate change and production uncertainties. This study critically evaluateds the efficacy of an advanced irrigation management practice raised bed with drip irrigation (RBWD) and examineds the socio-economic determinants influencing its adoption. Conducted in Maharashtra's Ghod River basin during the 2022-2023 cropping seasons, the research encompassed 480 farmers equally divided between RBWD adopters and traditional flat bed with flood irrigation (FBWF) practitioners. The findings revealed that RBWD adoption led to significant water savings, averaging 24.52% during the late monsoon and 28.79% in the post-monsoon season while doubling water productivity compared to FBWF systems. Moreover, the implementation of RBWD resulted in a substantial increase in onion bulb yield, ranging from 13.70% to 23.61%, and enhanced bulb quality, particularly in the proportion of marketable bulbs. Family income, land holding, extension contacts and the information source use were the key determinants behind the adoption of the RBWD method. However, significant obstacles such as the high initial investment required for drip irrigation systems and the technical expertise needed for their operation continue to hinder formidable obstacles including the prohibitive initial investment costs for drip irrigation systems and the requisite technical expertise for their operation to impede wider adoption. These findings underscore a pressing need to address these barriers through policy interventions and targeted extension services.