(New Delhi, 30 May): As parts of the country struggle to recover from some of the worst droughts in living memory, improved irrigation policies could help avoid such problems in future, as well as boosting food production and farm incomes. India nationally can learn from the radical approaches adopted by Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh which have already shown how better water management can benefit farmers.
That was the message emerging from a policy consultation organised by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) held at the India Habitat Centre today, and attended by, among others, Amarjit Singh, secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Dr Sandeep Dave. Joint secretary, Neeranchal administration, IWMP and Mr Jeremy Bird, Director General, IWMI.
Population pressure and increasing water competition in a changing climate require us to take stock of the availability and use of water across scales. Water availability not only influences farmers’ commercial prospects but also irrigation-related enterprises and agri-businesses. Greater water scarcity could jeopardize irrigation and agricultural markets while excessive water use can lead to declining ecosystems, water quality and soil health. IWMI advises development partners and the public and private sectors on all aspects of water resource availability and use through a variety of advanced modeling and remote-sensing products and tools, including 
The ability of farmers to engage in or expand irrigation depends on the prevailing socioeconomic, ecological and political contexts, which are often complex, non-linear and changeable. Overcoming systemic barriers to farmer-led irrigation development while taking advantage of existing opportunities 
A lack of affordable credit, particularly for women and resource-poor farmers, is one of the main barriers to expanding farmer-led irrigation in low- and middle-income countries. But 
Scaling farmer-led irrigation requires strengthening human capacity and knowledge exchange among all actors and stakeholders involved. IWMI takes an action research approach, working with national and international research institutions, governments, extension agents and public and private organizations to co-develop the scaling ecosystem and strengthen capacity to drive scaling networks and collective action. We support the