Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India
India: Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals was 90.4% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India, 1975–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India is 90.4%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 48 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India peaked at 94.6% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 90.4%, in 2010.
India ranks 27th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 93.0% | — |
| 1976 | 93.2% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 93.4% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 93.6% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 93.8% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 93.9% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 94.1% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 94.2% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 94.4% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 94.5% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 94.6% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 94.1% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 93.6% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 93.0% | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 92.5% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 92.0% | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 91.9% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 91.9% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 91.8% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 91.8% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 91.7% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 91.7% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 91.6% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 91.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 91.5% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 91.5% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 91.4% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 91.2% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 91.1% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 91.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 90.9% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 90.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 90.7% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 90.6% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 90.5% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 90.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 90.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 93.4% | 93.0% | 93.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 93.9% | 92.5% | 94.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.7% | 91.5% | 92.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 91.0% | 90.5% | 91.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.4% | 90.4% | 90.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.4% | 90.4% | 90.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near India
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India?
- Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in India was 90.4% in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 94.6% in 1985.
- What is the lowest agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 90.4% in 2010.
- How does India rank for agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- India ranks 27th out of 180 countries with data for 2022.
- Is agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Agricultural water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry and domestic purposes). Agricultural water is defined as the annual quantity of self-supplied water withdrawn for irrigation, livestock and aquaculture purposes.