Micro Irrigation Systems: a Comprehensive Review on Performance and Adoption in Indian Agriculture
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Micro irrigation comprising drip and sprinkler systems has emerged as a transformative technology for enhancing water use efficiency in Indian agriculture. With approximately 54% of the net sown area still rainfed and groundwater depletion reaching critical levels across major agrarian states, conventional flood irrigation methods—characterized by merely 35-40% application efficiency—present a significant bottleneck to sustainable agricultural development. This comprehensive review-based study systematically evaluates the design principles, performance parameters, economic feasibility, and adoption status of micro irrigation systems in India, with particular emphasis on the agro-climatic conditions of Madhya Pradesh. A systematic literature review of 142 research publications spanning 2015-2025 was conducted, supplemented by analysis of government reports from PMKSY-Per Drop More Crop, NABARD, and state agricultural departments. The analysis reveals that drip irrigation achieves 90-95% application efficiency and 30-70% water saving compared to surface irrigation methods, while sprinkler systems demonstrate 70-85% efficiency with particular suitability for undulating terrain. Economic evaluation indicates favorable benefit-cost ratios ranging from 1.8 to 3.2 for horticultural crops under drip irrigation, though high initial capital investment and maintenance complexities continue to constrain adoption among smallholder farmers. PMKSY implementation data indicates that Madhya Pradesh has covered 6.8 lakh hectares under micro irrigation till 2024, yet the state remains significantly below its estimated potential of 32 lakh hectares. The study identifies fragmented landholdings, inadequate technical know-how, and delayed subsidy disbursal as primary adoption barriers. Garrett's ranking analysis of farmer constraints across 12 studies in Madhya Pradesh positions high initial investment (score: 72.4) as the foremost impediment, followed by lack of technical knowledge (64.8) and clogging of emitters (58.2). The Bundelkhand region, including Sagar district, exhibits 86.8% untapped potential, representing the highest gap between achieved and potential micro irrigation coverage. The review concludes that micro irrigation is technically feasible and economically viable for water-scarce regions of Madhya Pradesh, provided that policy interventions address structural barriers. Recommendations include establishment of custom hiring centers for portable equipment, intensified farmer training programs, streamlining of subsidy disbursement processes, and promotion of community-based micro irrigation models for small and marginal farmers. Future research directions encompass field validation of performance parameters, development of low-cost filtration technologies for hard water areas, and impact assessment of solar-powered off-grid micro irrigation systems. Keywords: Micro irrigation, Drip irrigation, Sprinkler irrigation, Water use efficiency, PMKSY, Madhya Pradesh, Bundelkhand, Agricultural water management, Benefit-cost ratio, Adoption constraints.
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7217344000
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