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Water availability and soil suitability are the primary requirements for stable agricultural production. Due to erratic rainfall and lack of irrigation for agriculture, arid regions suffer from volatile conditions for agriculture. Kutch, the western most district of India in the state of Gujarat is well-known for its arid climate. More than half of...
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Water availability, soil suitability, and favorable climate are the primary requirements for stable agricultural production. However, due to erratic rainfall and scarcity of irrigation water, arid regions suffer from volatile conditions for agriculture. For example, Kachchh, the westernmost district of India in Gujarat, has an arid climate, with mo...
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... A Community-based Tourism Initiative, Hodka, 2015) which provide temporary lodging facilities for the tourists (Maganraj & Smrutirekha, 2021). The region is unsuitable for tourism for the rest of the year due to soaring temperatures and lack of permanent settlements near the main salt desert (Patel, 2019). ...
In a country like India with domineering rural population, it is imperative for the developmental policies of the nation to be inclusive of the socio-economic priorities of the same. These rural areas in India predominantly depend on agriculture or allied activities for their livelihood and economy. Few regions, however, are solely dependent on tourism by virtue of their unique geographical locations. The vast salt marsh region of ‘Rann of Kutch’ on the extreme Western Coast of India is inhabited by culturally vibrant ethnic groups, each with specialized handicraft skills. Despite making a significant mark on the tourist map of India, the geographical and climatological extremities allow tourism to last for merely four months (November to February). The pandemic took a toll on tourist footfall, jeopardizing the principal economic activity of the region. The communities suffered a socio-economic setback, manifesting pre-existing socio-economic vulnerabilities. This study attempts to identify the essential socio-economic vulnerability parameters, and empirically examines them in two tourism-dependent villages in the Rann of Kutch region. RIDIT scoring and ranking method was applied to rank the vulnerability parameters, which help us in comparing the conditional aspects of the same both within and between the two villages.
... The major crop had shifted from Bajra (Millet) in the 1960s to cash crops such as cotton, castor, and groundnut in the 2000s that have higher irrigation requirements. Also, wheat production began with increased winter season sowing (Patel, 2019). The shift to water-intensive crops added pressure on the water resources. ...
... Irrigation by source in the district of Kachchh(Patel, 2019). N umber of operational groundwater structures in Kachchh region (MoJL, 2019). ...
Kachchh, the westernmost district of India is historically known for its unique landscape, distinct traditions and arid climate. For a long time, the arid region of Kachchh had limited economic growth and limited habitation due to water scarcity caused by erratic rainfall. In 2001, the seismically active region of Kachchh experienced a large earthquake measuring 7.7 Mw but, the region has shown considerable development post-disaster. Growth strategies for agriculture, manufacturing and tourism implemented by the government and supported by industries and other agencies have not only made the region a dynamic economic hub in the state of Gujarat, but also has highlighted the long-neglected region on the world map. Due to the lack of perennial surface water availability and limited rainfall, the development has been fuelled by exploiting the groundwater resources to a great extent. The objective of this chapter is to highlight groundwater use in Kachchh, known as one of the most arid regions of India with low rainfall and high variability. Groundwater is playing a vital role in meeting the demand for all societal usage, irrigation, domestic requirements and industries. The authors highlight how the region is blessed with a suitable geological formation, forming a potential freshwater aquifer system which has served society for centuries even with a grossly adequate recharge. They highlight the importance of looking into the sustainable use of groundwater, a priceless natural resource of the region.
