Groundwater fluctuation and agricultural insecurity: A geospatial analysis of West Bengal in India

Groundwater is a very important natural resource, predominantly in areas of arid to semi-arid environmental conditions. The seasonal variability of the available precipitation and resultant infiltration are the major responsible factors for such water level fluctuation. This seasonal fluctuation of groundwater can be responsible for changing natural growth or agriculture production insecurity in any region. West Bengal in India has diverse landscape and is a soil-oriented state and the agriculture is highly dependent on monsoon rainfall and associated groundwater-related irrigation. This study tries to find the impact of groundwater fluctuation from the premonsoon to postmonsoon period on overall agriculture production. Most of the districts of South Bengal including Bankura, Puruliya, Purba Medinipur, Hugli, Birbhum, and North 24 Parganas experienced more than 2 meters of mean groundwater fluctuation. A positive relationship has been identified between groundwater availability and crop production. As the study area is under the monsoon climate, seasonal variation of rainfalls controls the groundwater availability and seasonal fluctuation. Thus, the results of this analysis reveal the impacts of monsoon on groundwater fluctuation which is highly indicative and responsible for seasonal variation of crop productions. This analysis makes us understand that groundwater fluctuation an important factor for agriculture uncertainty in West Bengal.