The water crisis in India requires a review of farming methods

India is the world's largest consumer of groundwater, extracting more of this resource than the US and China combined. According to the article, the per capita water availability indicator has dropped from 5,177 cubic meters in 1951 to less than 1,500 at present, and by 2050 it may shrink to 1,191 cubic meters. Traditional flood irrigation remains the norm, causing about 80 percent of the valuable resource to be spent on the agricultural sector's needs. The consequences of water scarcity are already manifesting as sugar cane harvest failures in Maharashtra, migration from Punjab due to depleted aquifers, and reduced yields in Vidarbha.

Although government measures such as canal improvements, subsidies, and groundwater regulation are important, changes must begin directly on farms. Traditional soil cultivation requires high water inputs, as a significant portion of it is lost due to evaporation, runoff, percolation, or weeds.

Controlled environment agriculture, including drip irrigation, net-house farming, and soil-less cultivation methods, is being considered as a solution to the problem. In particular, aeroponics reduces water consumption by 95 percent compared to traditional methods and ensures high yields per square meter. This method keeps plant roots suspended in the air and irrigates them with a nutrient mist, which reduces the dependence of food systems on the monsoon calendar and depleted aquifers.

Technology and the automation of growing processes — nutrient dosing, pH regulation, climate control, and data-driven harvest timing — play an important role in the transformation. The use of such precise and soil-less methods attracts investment, ensuring stable harvests and efficient land management.