The rice-wheat rotation is one of the world’s largest agricultural production systems occupying about 85% of the cultivated land in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) and nearly one-sixth of the total geographical area of the sub continent. The system accounts for about one-third of the area of both rice and wheat grown in South Asia. Rice-wheat rotations produce more than 45% of the region’s food and provide staple grains for nearly 42% of the total population of billion of South Asia. Studies in past decade indicates that sustainability of rice-wheat system in IGP has been at risk mainly due to declining in groundwater levels, soil organic matter content and nutrient availability, increased soil salinization, incidence of pests and diseases. | Bed planting system promotes crop diversification for improving livelihoods in Western Uttar Pradesh India
