Rainfed rice - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

manner. It should be emphasised that this can not be fully realised by
making adjustments in only one or a few components in the existing
technology package(s).
Another aspect which needs adequate attention is that of resource
generation and recycling. At least a portion of needed inputs can be
generated within the system or a portion of output can also be used as an
input with value addition. For example, supplemental nitrogen sources –
green manures, azolla, etc., and planting material (seed, etc.) can be
produced on the farm, and crop residues and fodder crops, after going
through the livestock system, can also contribute to fertiliser input as
manure. This will be more feasible if the crop and livestock systems are
physically integrated on the farm rather than having them isolated at
distant places because that would add to the cost of transportation of
inputs, outputs and by-products.
Developing technologies
No single disciplinary research can produce crop production technologies.
They require multi-disciplinary research contributions, the results of which,
when developed into applicable forms, become technologies. If the
contributions from different disciplines complement each other, only then
can the technologies become appropriate.
Achieving sustainable rice production in complex systems like those of
eastern India would undoubtedly need intensive efforts to identify the
location-specific (inter- and intra-district) constraints for developing the
technologies.
Prepared by:
V.P. Singh
Sustaining Rice Farming in Eastern India
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