Strategies for improving the productivity of rainfed farms in India with special emphasis on soil quality improvement

Abstract

Rainfed agriculture encounters several constraints on account of climatic, edaphic, and social factors. Out of the 97 million farm holdings, about 76% come under marginal and small categories. The productivity levels of these areas have remained lower across years because of frequent droughts occurring due to high variability in the quantum and distribution of rainfall, poor soil health, low fertilizer use, imbalanced fertilization, small farm size and poor mechanization, poor socio-economic conditions and low risk-bearing capacity, low credit availability and infrastructure constraints. Consequently, farmers are distracted from agriculture and tend to migrate to cities to look for alternative jobs. Hence, there is a great need to increase the productivity of rainfed crops and overall net returns to keep the farmers in agriculture. A paradigm shift in rainfed agriculture can be expected through technological thrusts and policy changes. The strategies that need to be emphasized include: (i) land care and soil-quality improvement through conservation agricultural practices, balanced fertilization, harnessing the potential of biofertilizers and microorganisms, and carbon sequestration; (ii) efficient crops, cropping systems, and best plant types; (iii) management of land and water on watershed basis; (iv) adoption of a farming-systems approach by diversifying enterprises with high-income modules; (v) mechanization for timely agricultural operations and precision agricultural approach; (vi) post-harvest, cold-storage, value-addition modules; (vii) assured employment and wage system; (viii) organic farming; (ix) rehabilitation of rainfed wastelands; (x) policy changes and other support system; and (xi) human-resource development, training and consultancy. This paper deals in depth with some of these issues and strategies.