HYDERABAD: Rains continue to be the main source of water for irrigation for a chunk of the country’s farmers. In fact, rainfed agriculture supports 40 per cent of the country’s population and contributes an equal percentage towards the nation’s food basket. Unfortunately, rainfed agriculture is not as productive as agriculture with a guaranteed source of irrigation water. The productivity is low in such areas, less than one tonne per hectare, due to a variety of reasons including uncertain rains, frequent droughts, degraded soils etc.
A research institute in Hyderabad has been rendering important services towards improving agriculture in areas where it is rainfed and in areas where rains are scanty — the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), established by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1985.
The CRIDA has been working towards enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainable use of natural resources. CRIDA is also home to the All India Coordinated Research Projects on Dryland Agriculture (AICRPDA) and the Agrometeorology (AICRPAM), which provides the important service of Crop Weather Outlook and agromet advisories. Scientists at CRIDA have been working on how to make agriculture in dryland areas resistant to the impact of climate change.
Not surprisingly, CRIDA is leading the ‘National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture’ (NICRA), a flagship network project of the ICAR which is being implemented at a large number of ICAR institutions, state agricultural universities and Krishi Vignan Kendra across the country.
The CRIDA saw Dr V K Singh take charge its new Director this year in February. Previously, he was the Joint Director (Extension, Additional charge) and Head, Division of Agronomy, at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.