Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute
Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute
Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute
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Constraints in <strong>Rainfed</strong> <strong>Rice</strong><br />
Farming in Eastern India<br />
T<br />
he rainfed ecosystem is mainly divided into uplands (favourable,<br />
unfavourable) and lowlands that can be further sub-divided into<br />
favourable (shallow) and unfavourable (semi-deep and deepwater).<br />
Unfavourable lowlands are chronically flood-prone (flash flood/stagnant<br />
flooding).<br />
Out of 26.8 million ha of <strong>rice</strong> area under rainfed ecosystems, eastern India<br />
occupies 21.1 million ha amounting to 78.7% of its total <strong>rice</strong> area.<br />
Large heterogeneity exists within<br />
each sub-ecosystem in soil type,<br />
nutrient availability, water regimes<br />
and socio-economic conditions of<br />
the farmers.<br />
Constraints in rainfed<br />
<strong>rice</strong> farming<br />
Biophysical<br />
Technological<br />
Socio-economic<br />
Institutional<br />
Realities in rainfed <strong>rice</strong> farming<br />
Population growth at the present rate of 2.1% per annum will continuously require<br />
more food. Yield plateauing in irrigated areas has necessitated turning the focus to the<br />
rainfed <strong>rice</strong> ecology.<br />
Improved <strong>rice</strong> production and productivity in this region may not only help the resourcepoor<br />
farmers of the region but also substantially increase the food production of the<br />
nation.<br />
Improved <strong>rice</strong> production technology, along with a limited number of suitable highyielding<br />
varieties (HYVs) of <strong>rice</strong>, now available for each of these unfavourable<br />
ecologies, needs proper exploitation.<br />
With national and international collaborative efforts, it has now become possible to<br />
develop better location-specific technology and HYVs having regional adaptability at a<br />
faster rate through the consortium approach.<br />
A modest increase by half a ton per hectare in <strong>rice</strong> yield in the rainfed ecosystem can<br />
add about 10 million tons of extra <strong>rice</strong> from eastern India itself to meet the target of <strong>rice</strong><br />
production of the country in the next five years.<br />
Extension agencies have to play a major role to educate the farmers about recent<br />
developments.<br />
Farmers’ participation in the process of refinement and acceptance of modern<br />
production technology has begun to make an impact and merits wider application of<br />
this approach in other research and development programs.<br />
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