ABSTRACT India's food security relies substantially on groundwater, but inefficient irrigation is seriously depleting this resource. Micro‐irrigation (MI) improves irrigation application efficiency and productivity, yet adoption remains low. This study examines MI adoption across four major Indian states—Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana—using primary data, Heckman's two‐stage regression and perception analysis. The sample is drawn from farmers with independent water sources, and the findings should be interpreted within this scope. The study identifies key determinants of adoption, including access to information, high‐value crop cultivation, wild animal damage, landholding size and subsidies. High investment costs and energy requirements remain significant barriers, particularly for smallholders. Strengthening information dissemination, easing subsidy access, improving fencing and promoting land consolidation can boost MI adoption. Implementing these measures will improve irrigation efficiency and contribute to sustainable agriculture and long‐term food security.
Singh et al. (Wed,) studied this question.