Water Resources and Cropping Pattern

Water is of paramount importance for sustaining life, development and the environment. The availability of water is the key determinant of economic growth and social prosperity. The emerging scarcity of water has also raised a host of issues such as sustainable water supply, equity and social justice, water financing, pricing, governance and efficient water management. Water means solid, liquid and gas, a water molecule is made up of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom (H2O). Pure water is tasteless, odorless and nearly colorless. There is a fixed amount of water on earth, but only about 3%% of it is fresh and available for drinking by human, plants and animals. The other 97%% of water, which is mostly stored in the world's seas and oceans, is salty and undrinkable.