India’s Commitments to Increase Tree and Forest Cover: Consequences for Water Supply and Agriculture Production within the Central Indian Highlands

As part of its nationally determined contributions as well national forest policy goals, India plans to boost tree cover 33% land area. Land currently under other uses will require tree-plantations or reforestation achieve this goal. This paper examines the effects converting cropland in Central Highlands (CIH). The impact increased on groundwater infiltration and recharge, which are essential for sustainable Rabi (winter, non-monsoon) season irrigation agricultural production. Field measurements saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) linked hydrological modeling estimate CIH hydrology. Kfs tests 118 sites demonstrate a significant effect, with having higher 20.2 mm h−1 than croplands (6.7 h−1). spatial processes hydrology (SPHY) model simulated from 2% 75% showed that each basin reacts differently, depending amount agriculture paddy. Paddy can compensate low through depression storage, allowing continuous recharge. Expanding would reduce recharge by 7.94 (−1%) when average increase it 15.38 (3%) if is conducted non-paddy agriculture. Intermediate shows however potential net benefits.