Wetland Farming in India: Uses, Advantages & Constraints

Table of Contents

• Overview of Wetland Farming in India
• What is the Role of Wetlands in Indian Agriculture?
• What are the Uses of Wetlands in India?
  • Wetlands for Crop Cultivation
  • Wetlands for Fish Collection
  • Wetlands for Irrigation
  • Wetlands for Jute Retting
  • Rice Cum Fish Culture in Wetland Farming
• What are the Advantages of Wetland Farming in India?
• What are the Constraints Related to Wetland Utilization in India?
• What is the Difference between Wetland Farming and Dryland Farming?
• Conclusion

Overview of Wetland Farming in India

Wetlands are transitional areas between aquatic and terrestrial systems that support a great diversity of flora and fauna. They can be natural or artificial and are usually found in inland and coastal regions. Wetlands contribute to global food security by supporting agriculture and offering livelihoods. Wetland farming involves cultivating crops in soils that are flooded with natural water. The crops grown in wetland farming include rice, jute, sugarcane, and many others. Let’s discuss the role of wetlands in agriculture in detail.

What is the Role of Wetlands in Indian Agriculture?

• Wetlands help maintain the natural hydrological balance, store rainwater for extended periods, and contribute to the recharge of groundwater supplies.
• Wetland farming helps control excessive soil erosion by dissipating the wave and current energy or by binding and stabilizing the soil.
• They can be used to produce various food crops, such as deep-water rice, makhana, and water chestnuts, as well as different fish varieties, by resource-poor farmers, which can fulfil their nutritional needs and promote economic stability.
• Wetlands are also referred to as natural filters that can intercept runoff water, allowing sediments and pollutants to settle. In this way, it helps with water purification.
• They can prevent flooding by temporarily storing stormwater and slowly releasing it, thus reducing flood hazards in nearby regions.

What are the Uses of Wetlands in India?

Wetland farming is used for different purposes in India, which are discussed below:

Wetlands for Crop Cultivation

A good portion of the area coverage of most wetlands contributes to intensive cultivation, or they are cultivated in their natural form. The major crops grown in wetlands or surrounding regions are food crops, food cum ornamental crops, medicinal plants, fodder crops, and non-food commercial crops. Apart from the above crops, wheat, mustard, cucumber, and other vegetables are also cultivated in wetland beds and in the peripheral regions of the wetland.

Wetlands for Fish Collection

Fishermen collect many freshwater fish species from the natural wetlands, such as chanda punti, bacha, tangra, magur, bata, etc. and sell them to the local market, thereby sustaining the economy and livelihood.

Wetlands for Irrigation

Wetlands are also used as an irrigation source for the surrounding farmlands. Cultivators use small pumps or some manual lifting devices to tap the water from wetlands for irrigation. Thus, it helps save irrigation costs for the surrounding cultivators, allowing them to allocate this amount to other essential inputs.

Wetlands for Jute Retting

Wetlands are widely used for jute retting during monsoon by many farmers from the surrounding habitations. It helps growers save money from a large amount of water expenses during jute cultivation.

Rice Cum Fish Culture in Wetland Farming

It is known as dual-culture farming, where rice is the primary enterprise, and fish are also added as an additional income source, utilizing the same area and resources. It is one of the best alternatives to monoculture in lowland rainfed and flood-prone rice ecosystems, diversifying rice productivity.

What are the Advantages of Wetland Farming in India?

• Wetland farming in India can help sustain food security, economic stability, and resource utilization for poor and marginal farmers without requiring significant investment.
• It helps maintain a pollution-free environment by minimising the use of agrochemicals, and preserving natural habitats.
• The different uses of wetlands can support year-round employment opportunities for farming families.
• Wetland farming helps sustain wonderful nutrient dynamics in nature.

What are the Constraints Related to Wetland Utilization in India?

The major constraints related to Wetland utilization in India are:

• Wetlands become out of cultivation during the peak rainy season, except for some conventional practices, such as deep-water rice farming and fish culture. However, the economic output for these wetlands is not encouraging.
• The compaction and crusting of surface soil in semi-permanent wetlands is due to heavy clayey soil, which discourages the emergence of seedlings.
• The lack of drainage facilities can be another problem because draining excess water from wetlands due to saturated conditions is crucial before utilization, which involves a significant initial expense.
• Operating farm implements becomes very difficult because of the excess water in wetlands.
• They create a nuisance by blocking drainage channels and interfering with navigation, thereby making fishing or other aquaculture activities impossible.
• Siltation of wetlands, poor water quality, dumping of waste materials, water pollution, pesticide uses, and unavailability of capital among fishermen are some of the constraints to fisheries.

What is the Difference between Wetland Farming and Dryland Farming?

Conclusion

Wetlands have been utilized in agriculture for thousands of years, providing valuable ecosystem services, including the provision of food and clean water, nutrient cycling, and soil retention. Thus, it is essential to protect wetlands and promote wetland farming to harness the numerous benefits they offer, including freshwater supply, flood control, food and building materials, biodiversity, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.