Groundwater conservation attitudes, behaviour and water management : the case of farmers in rural India

Due to the problem of groundwater availability in many locations across India in recent years, there has been a recent focus on understanding the attitudes and practices of rural farmers in enhancing water conservation practices. Farmer's positive or negative attitudes about groundwater conservation practices can affect their behaviours about adoption of water conservation practices. The aim of this study is to provide much-needed empirical data about rural farmers' attitudes towards ground water conservation, and their water conservation behaviours. Results from a survey of 759 farmers indicate that Indian farmers generally have very positive attitudes towards groundwater conservation and water saving practice. The main factors influencing the conservation behaviours identified in the study are: size of land holding, educational level, off-farm income, and environmental values. These findings highlight the fact that there is still substantial potential to be harvested in India though ground water conservation measures.