If you shift from the cultivation of rice to alternative cereals such as millets, maize and sorghum, it could significantly reduce climate-induced production losses, while increasing farmers’ incomes in the country.
A global study, conducted by top academic institutions, found that the optimised allocation of the area under rice, favouring alternative cereals, could reduce climate-induced production losses by 11 per cent. It also found that shifting to alternative cereals can increase farmers’ net profits.
The open access study, published in the journal Nature Communications, highlights that farmers’ decisions regarding which crops to plant are heavily influenced by price fluctuations. The joint study has been authored by Dongyang Wei, Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences (University of Delaware, USA); Leslie Guadalupe Castro, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (Columbia University, New York, USA); Ashwini Chhatre, Associate Professor and Executive Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy (Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, India), and a few others.
Cereals cultivation
Advocating the switch from rice to alternative cereals, the study felt that Indian farmers have always preferred rice for its economic viability. However, rice production is disproportionately affected by climate change.
“On the other hand, cereals such as millets, maize, and sorghum are climate-resistant and stand to be economically viable too, in the long run,” it said.
Touching upon the price sensitivity aspect, the study reveals that farmers’ planting decisions for alternative cereals are highly sensitive to price changes, thus, offering a lever for policy intervention.
“Our research demonstrates that by strategically reducing rice cultivation and increasing the cultivation of alternative cereals, India can achieve greater stability in cereal production and improve farmer profitability. This can be achieved without compromising the overall calorie production,” Dongyang Wei said.
“This research highlights the need for policymakers to consider the economic factors influencing farmers’ decisions and to implement policies that promote the cultivation of climate-resilient crops,” Chhatre said.
The study also spoke about the importance of addressing current pricing structures, which often favour rice cultivation due to government support policies. Well-crafted crop pricing schemes and incentives for climate-resilient crops could prove to be effective tools for promoting a more sustainable agricultural system.