Crop and Contingency Planning for Rainfed Regions of India

Not AvailableRainfed Agriculture extends over 87.5 m.ha of net sown area in different agro-climatic zones of our country and contributes over 40 percent to our food basket. Rainfed agriculture in turn supports 40 percent of human and 60 percent of livestock populations. Majority of the Nutritious cereals (87.5%), pulses (87.5%), oilseeds (77%) and cotton (65.7%) are predominantly grown in this area. The productivity of these rainfed crops, however, often fluctuates due to vagaries of weather. In this context, the All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA) with a network of 22 centres in different SAUs and supported by 8 Operational Research Projects (ORPs) has been making efforts to develop and upscale appropriate contingency crop planning strategies to achieve sustainable productivity of rainfed crops in different agro-climatic environments. The project has also generated appropriate strategies and agro-techniques for growing rainfed crops under normal and delayed onset, early withdrawal and extended monsoon conditions. The project has also come up with sustainable rainfed practices, which are being actively adopted by the small, medium and large rainfed farmers in different parts of the country. I compliment Dr.YS. Ramakrishna, Director, CRIDA and the efforts made by the Project Coordinator Dr.G.Subba Reddy and his team of Scientists from AICRPDA across the network project in bringing out this publication entitled “Crop and Contingency Planning for Rainfed Regions of India”- a compendium by AICRPDA. I am confident that this publication will be of immense use for the development agencies, which are involved in transfer of technology for rainfed crops in the country besides its utility to the farming community for achieving higher and stabilized productivity from the rainfed areas of the country.Not Availabl