Barmer, Dec. 9 -- Desert farmers - long accustomed to battling shrinking groundwater levels and erratic rains - are now adopting micro-irrigation systems at a pace the state has never witnessed before, officials familiar with the matter said. Under the Chief Minister Micro-Irrigation Initiative, Jodhpur tops the list with 4,567 farmers, followed by Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore and Pali, proving that the driest belt of the state is now leading the shift toward scientific water management. So far, 32,918 kilometres of pipelines have been laid, delivering water directly to the roots of crops rather than letting it evaporate across open fields. Farmers said that irrigation efficiency has increased sharply, while water usage has dropped by nearly a quarter. Mustard, cumin, wheat and fodder crops - once dependent on deep borewells and diesel pumps - are now receiving controlled micro-water supply that boosts yield and improves soil health. "Earlier half the water was lost before it reached the field. Now every drop goes straight to the crops - and that makes all the difference in the desert," says Hanuman Ram, a farmer from Barmer. Officials said that the response from desert districts has exceeded expectations, and the movement is quickly turning into a model for water-scarce regions. In places where every drop once disappeared before reaching crops, farmers now make each drop count - and the results are becoming visible across the sand, officials added....