The Agriculture sector plays an important role in the Indian Economy. Besides assuring the food grain security to nearly 1350 million (m) human population and fodder security to 512.05 m livestock population of the country, it contributes about 16% of total GDP, 12.5% of total export, and provides employment to over 50% total workforce of the country. Owing to the introduction of improved production technologies, expansion of irrigation facilities, increase the use of synthetic inputs, popularization of the technologies, implementation of policies for the agricultural development and greater investment in agricultural sector, food grain output in the country increased from 51.8 million tons (m.t) in 1950-51 to 285.01 m t in 2018-19. The growth rate of food grain production for the period between 2010-11 and 2017-18 was almost double the population growth rate. Despite the overwhelming growth in food grain production, market size, availability of improved production technologies and being the front ranking producer of many crops in the world, Indian agriculture is still facing several challenges, which are severely affecting its performance, income, employment and livelihood of the farmers. Rainfed agriculture in India occupies the largest area and the value of the produce in the world. It accounts for nearly 52% of the total net cultivated area of the country. Rainfed agriculture must play an important role in food security and sustainability of livelihoods because almost 40% human and 60% livestock population of the country depend on it. But, it is And characterized by unstable yield, dominance of marginal and small operational holdings, occurrence of frequent drought, low income, and lack of regular employment, food insecurity, out migration, malnutrition and poor socio-economic status of the inhabitants of the rainfed regions. In the era of globalization, transformation of subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture coupled with increase of income higher per unit area is the need of the day to sustain the people’s livelihood in the rainfed regions. Efficient use of rainwater and soil moisture, adoption of improved production technologies of crop production, alternate land use systems (ALUS), integrated farming systems (IFSs), conservation of natural resources and better access to markets are of prime importance not only for enhancing crop production, income and employment, but also to sustain the livelihoods of the farmers under variable climatic condition of the rainfed regions. Hence, efforts have been made to discuss the constraints and improved production technologies, which can be effective to realize higher crop productivity and income from the rainfed agriculture in India.
Can rainfed agriculture feed the world? An assessment of potentials and risk.
