Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?

This paper examines the nexus between milk production and water use in India. The nexus is examined in the context of extended consumptive water use (CWU) of milk production beyond drinking water. It includes the real CWU (evapotranspiration (ETa) that occurs during the production of green fodder an...

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Main Authors: Amarasinghe, Upali A., Shah, Tushaar, Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Informa UK Limited 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34742
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author Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Shah, Tushaar
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_browse Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Shah, Tushaar
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_facet Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Shah, Tushaar
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
author_sort Amarasinghe, Upali A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper examines the nexus between milk production and water use in India. The nexus is examined in the context of extended consumptive water use (CWU) of milk production beyond drinking water. It includes the real CWU (evapotranspiration (ETa) that occurs during the production of green fodder and feed grains) and the virtual CWU (ETa embedded in by-products for animal feed). The real CWU appears as large as that of sugarcane, and the real and virtual CWU combined is as large as that of rice. However, milk production generates more value than the outputs of rice and sugarcane combined. Sustainable water use and agricultural growth in major milk-producing areas require a drastic reduction in groundwater CWU, which, at present, exceeds natural recharge. It is suggested that diversifying to a mix of milk and high-value (but low water consuming) crops can reduce groundwater CWU while ensuring higher total output.
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spelling CGSpace347422024-04-14T19:00:14Z Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future? Amarasinghe, Upali A. Shah, Tushaar Smakhtin, Vladimir U. milk production water use evapotranspiration feed crops feed cereals plant production byproducts feeds assessment groundwater water conservation water consumption crop production diversification groundwater irrigation water productivity sustainable agriculture This paper examines the nexus between milk production and water use in India. The nexus is examined in the context of extended consumptive water use (CWU) of milk production beyond drinking water. It includes the real CWU (evapotranspiration (ETa) that occurs during the production of green fodder and feed grains) and the virtual CWU (ETa embedded in by-products for animal feed). The real CWU appears as large as that of sugarcane, and the real and virtual CWU combined is as large as that of rice. However, milk production generates more value than the outputs of rice and sugarcane combined. Sustainable water use and agricultural growth in major milk-producing areas require a drastic reduction in groundwater CWU, which, at present, exceeds natural recharge. It is suggested that diversifying to a mix of milk and high-value (but low water consuming) crops can reduce groundwater CWU while ensuring higher total output. 2012-02 2013-11-21T08:41:28Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z 2013-11-21T08:41:28Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34742 en Limited Access Informa UK Limited Amarasinghe, U. A., Shah, T., & Smakhtin, V. (2011). Water–milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future? In International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability (Vol. 10, Issue 1, pp. 93–108). Informa UK Limited. https://doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2012.620336
spellingShingle milk production
water use
evapotranspiration
feed crops
feed cereals
plant production
byproducts
feeds
assessment
groundwater
water conservation
water consumption
crop production
diversification
groundwater irrigation
water productivity
sustainable agriculture
Amarasinghe, Upali A.
Shah, Tushaar
Smakhtin, Vladimir U.
Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?
title Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?
title_full Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?
title_fullStr Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?
title_full_unstemmed Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?
title_short Water-milk nexus in India: a path to a sustainable water future?
title_sort water milk nexus in india a path to a sustainable water future
topic milk production
water use
evapotranspiration
feed crops
feed cereals
plant production
byproducts
feeds
assessment
groundwater
water conservation
water consumption
crop production
diversification
groundwater irrigation
water productivity
sustainable agriculture
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34742
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AT shahtushaar watermilknexusinindiaapathtoasustainablewaterfuture
AT smakhtinvladimiru watermilknexusinindiaapathtoasustainablewaterfuture