India should promote water-efficient crops: Official

As the government aims to double farm exports by 2022, Water Resources Secretary U P Singh on Tuesday said India needs to focus on promoting water-efficient crops or else it would be "exporting precious water".

There is a need to talk about 'water footprint' as much as 'carbon footprint' in India because the country has already become a water-stressed nation and the per capita availability is coming down with rise in population, Singh said.

Singh pointed out people are unaware that even a morning cup of coffee that they consume has water footprint of 140 litres.

Highlighting that 89 per cent of water is used for agriculture purpose, Singh said focus should be on the promotion of water-efficient crops.

Latest data shows that 89 per cent of water is used for agriculture purpose in India, where about 50 per cent of the farm land is irrigated while it is only 20 per cent world over, he said.

"We have same area but other countries produce double. They consume 60 per cent of water, we consume 89 per cent of water. There is tremendous scope in improving water-use efficiency," Singh said.

He also mentioned that agri exports need to be doubled but India should improve the water-use efficiency otherwise it would be exporting the precious water.

"We are not against doubling agri exports. But India is exporting precious water as well. Unless we improve our water use efficiency, we would be exporting precious water," Singh said while addressing the fourth Global Agriculture Summit organised by Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture (ICFA) here.

Stating that the time has come to talk about water footprint as much as carbon footprint, the Secretary said it is because "even a cup of coffee that we take in the morning has water footprint of 140 litres. For growing that much of coffee that you take in the morning, 140 litres of water is required."