Working Paper: 352

Land and Water Use Interactions: Emerging Trends
and Impact on Land-use Changes in the Tungabhadra
and Tagus River Basins

Per Stalnacke, Begueria Santiago, Manasi S, K V Raju, Nagothu Udaya Sekhar, Maria Manuela Portela, Antonio Betaamio de Almeida, Marta Machado, Lana-Renault, Noemi, Vicente-Serrano and Sergio

 

Abstract

The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the issues, current status and complex inter-linkages in land and water management, emerging trends and its impact in two river basins1 - the Tungabhadra sub-basin in India and the Tagus basin in Spain and Portugal. The paper covers a wide range of issues including changing water demands affected by erratic hydrological cycles, frequent fires affecting forests, biodiversity and soil thus influencing the livelihoods of marginal communities. The paper also brings to the forefront the need for integrated water management in view of poor integration across and within sectors. Therefore, an attempt is made to understand the dynamics of rain fed and irrigated farming highlighting the technological and institutional options required for improving water-use efficiency. There is still a long way to go in both the basins before suitable integration can be achieved leading to an effective Integrated Water Resource Management strategy.

 

Working Papers