Direct seeded rice in Haryana (India) ABY districts: impact and lessons for scaling

Rice is a staple crop in India, traditionally cultivated using the Transplanted Puddled Rice (TPR) method. This traditional method, while effective and very popular amongst farmers, is highly labour, water, and energy-intensive, that leads to significant groundwater depletion and higher energy usage in pumping groundwater. In response to these challenges, the Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) method has been introduced as a more sustainable alternative. DSR involves sowing seeds directly into the field, eliminating the need for growing and transplanting seedlings. This method, tested in various field trials, promises to have several benefits, including water savings, reduced labour and production costs, higher economic returns, and lower methane emissions. However, the success in farmer fields when adopted at scale outside trials remains to be analysed critically. In that context, this study was commissioned through a MoU with National Project Management Unit (NPMU), Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY). ABY, also known as Atal Jal, is a central sector scheme aimed at sustainable groundwater management with community participation. Launched in December 2019, ABY focuses on improving groundwater management in water-stressed areas across seven states, including Haryana. The adoption of DSR in Haryana has been gradual but promising. The area under rice cultivation in the state has increased significantly over the years, with initial efforts to introduce DSR beginning around 2009. The state government has played a crucial role in promoting DSR by offering financial incentives to farmers. In 2022, an incentive of INR 4000 per acre1 was introduced to encourage farmers to adopt DSR. Given its uptake in Haryana, the objective of this study is to assess the socio-economic and environmental benefits of DSR, identify the challenges, and offer recommendations for scaling up this technology in Haryana and other regions. The study employed a multi-faceted approach including qualitative surveys with stakeholders, focus group discussions, field visits, and a large-scale quantitative survey (sample size is 809) of DSR and TPR farmers across selected districts in Haryana to assess the impact of DSR. These farmer-level sources were complemented by water flow meter data analysis and remote sensing analysis.