India's path to sustainable agriculture and climate resilience

Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world, especially in Asia.

- RAMEESH KAILASAM & JHARNA KAMDAR

Rice makes up nearly 16% of the world’s calorie intake, with its consumption amounting to 520 million tons in 2022. The majority of rice production is concentrated in Asia with top 10 rice-growing countries accounting for 84% of the world’s total rice cultivation.

India, with its deep agricultural heritage, dedicates 45 million hectares to rice cultivation, highlighting the crop’s cultural and economic importance. While India has the largest area for rice farming, its productivity (2,390 kg/ha) lags behind countries like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. With India’s population expected to reach 1.7 billion by 2050, rice demand is projected to increase by over 25%. Given the finite land resources available, increasing agricultural productivity becomes paramount for ensuring national and global food security.

Indian agriculture faces high risk due to climate change, necessitating urgent solutions to increase climate resilience in critical crops like rice. Due to the threats of global warming, paddy cultivation is expected to experience a 5-10% decrease in crop yields for every degree Celsius increase in temperature, posing substantial challenges in sustaining rice production.