This study analyzed groundwater use efficiency in vegetable farming across two hydro-geologic regions in Odisha: Jharbandh (hard rock) and Baliapal (alluvial). Data from 30 vegetable growers in Dewanpali village, Jharbandh block, revealed a significant decline in groundwater levels over the past decade, leading to increased borewell depths and a shift to low-capacity submersible pumps. Stochastic frontier analysis using the Cobb-Douglas production function found a negative correlation between groundwater use and production. The results suggest vegetable output could increase by 19% with improved efficiency, while water use could be reduced by 32%, highlighting the need for better groundwater management.
