Drip Irrigation Boosts Farmer Income in Andhra Pradesh

LAM Srinivasa Rao, a farmer from Palnadu district, doubled his net income by switching from old-school flood irrigation to a drip irrigation system. He set this up in his two-acre acid-lime orchard using the Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project and the central Per Drop More Crop scheme. His farming costs dropped from ₹3 lakh to ₹2.4 lakh, and his yield went up.

Benefits of micro-irrigation

This shows how well micro-irrigation saves water and boosts income. Andhra Pradesh is currently one of the top six states for this, along with Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. By July 2026, over 115 lakh hectares had this setup, helping 12.30 lakh farmers during the 2025-26 period.

Central government financial support covers 55% of costs for small and marginal farmers. Others get 45% coverage for up to five hectares. Since farming uses over 80% of India's water, these systems are very important for long-term farming success.