Rainfed India: Key to inclusive growth

• 61% of the net sown area in India is rainfed.

• 84% of the rural poor live in rainfed areas.

The reality of a rainfed farmer’s life is characterised by marginal soils, undulating terrain, remote locations with poor access to institutions, uncertain rains and high dependence on multiple sources of livelihood.

Inclusive growth, therefore, will become a reality only when we invest – and invest appropriately – in Rainfed India.

Why invest in Rainfed India

Rainfed India has been left out of mainstream development in agriculture due to the government’s emphasis on generating food surplus from intensively irrigated areas to meet food security needs of the nation. Substantial public investments have been made in irrigation, with a focus on mainly rice and wheat. These investments have gone into promoting intensive use of fertilisers, seeds and other inputs, and price support systems.

The potential for higher growth in crop productivity, incomes from livestock – in particular, goats and sheep – and fisheries has not been realised for lack of relevant public investments.

The potential

If there were parity in investment with irrigated areas, rainfed regions would have high potential for growth. Even a single intervention during a period of drought, namely the provision of protective irrigation, has the potential to improve crop yields by 29 to 114 per cent. (Sharma, Rao, et al., 2006; Realising the Potential of Rainfed Agriculture in India)

Making appropriate investments in soil, water, seeds, integrated crop systems, livestock, fisheries and in developing credit, markets and institutions in support of these will go a long way in making the vision of Inclusive Growth a Reality.

The RRA premise

The Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture (RRA) Network aims to evolve appropriate policies rooted in the realities of rainfed areas. It advocates for increased and appropriate public investments to strengthen rainfed agricuture.

What is needed

• Differentiated policies for rainfed agriculture (including livestock and fisheries)
• Substantial scaling up of public investments for revitalising rainfed areas
• Appropriate framework for public investments – rooted in a paradigm relevant for rainfed areas

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