Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges &
Opportunities during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
T6-06R-1237
Institutional Interventions for Enhancing Productivity in Rainfed
Agriculture
C.N. Anshida Beevi * , G. Nirmala, Jagriti Rohit, K. Nagasree, K. Ravi Shankar and
V.K. Singh
ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
* anshida.cn@icar.gov.in
Rainfed areas assume a special significance in terms of agricultural production and livelihood
for millions of households in India. The term rainfed agriculture is defined as regions where
crops are predominantly dependent on rainfall with some support from groundwater. Rainfed
areas in India are highly diverse, ranging from resource-rich areas with huge potential to
resource-constrained areas with a number of challenges. Rainfed agriculture is mainly affected
by intermittent dry spells during the cropping season particularly at critical crop growth stages
coinciding with the terminal growth stage. Rainfall is a truly random factor in the rainfed
production system and its variation is highly uncertain. In recent decades, traditional
subsistence farming is also moving towards the cultivation of commercial or cash crops. As a
result, these regions are facing severe constraints in terms of resource, institutional and policy
constraints. A paradigm shift in rainfed agriculture can be achieved by technological
interventions coupled with innovative extension strategies. Over the past decades, various
organizations including both international and national research organizations like ICRISAT,
CRIDA, CAZRI, etc., and Government of India initiatives such as the National Mission for
Sustainable Agriculture, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, etc, are working in this
direction. This article explains about the initiatives in detail to understand the present scenario.
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
Indian agriculture remains predominantly rainfed covering about 60% of the country’s net
sown area and accounting for 40% of the total food production. Thus, the conservation of
natural resources in conjunction with the development of rainfed agriculture holds the key to
meeting increasing demands for food grain in the country. Towards this end, National Mission
for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) has been formulated. NMSA will cater to key dimensions
of ‘Water use efficiency’, ‘Nutrient Management’, and ‘Livelihood diversification’ through the
adoption of sustainable development pathways by progressively shifting to environmentally
friendly technologies, adoption of energy-efficient equipment, conservation of natural
resources, integrated farming, etc. Besides, NMSA aims at promoting location-specific
improved agronomic practices through soil health management, enhanced water use efficiency,
judicious use of chemicals, crop diversification, progressive adoption of crop-livestock farming
systems, and integrated approaches like crop-sericulture, agro-forestry, fish farming, etc.
811 | Page Institutional and policy innovations for accelerated and enhanced impacts