Next-gen Rice Farming: Ways to Achieve Food, Nutritional and Economic Security Under Changing Climatic Conditions

The present rice cultivation systems face challenges of low production, water scarcity, shrinking cultivable land area due to degradation and urbanization, labour shortage, diminishing soil health, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions and low income for farmers. Changes and/or modifications are thus necessitated in rice production to feed future generations. The aim of next-gen rice farming is to provide food, nutrition and economic security, as well as climate-smart solutions to safeguard ecosystems while using better tools and techniques, improved cultivars and management practices. To achieve these, there is a need to develop suitable farm mechanization for small-sized fields, precision (sensor-based) water-saving irrigation methods, greater input use-efficient systems, digital farming considering soil health improvement and proper utilization of rice straw. Next-gen rice farming should be taken as a business opportunity for the youth to earn more income and must be supported by a favourable Government policy.