Transforming rice fallows into fortunes in India

In Odisha state, India, there are 6.15 million hectares of farmland, with more than half devoted to rice. But after harvest and the end of the monsoon (kharif) season, around 1.6 million hectares remain fallow and uncultivated in the following rabi season. Then, in 2023, the state Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DA&FE) launched the Comprehensive Rice Fallow Management (CRFM) Program to transform fallows into productive field across 30 districts, by promoting the cultivation of pulses and oilseed crops.

In three districts, Baleswar, Bolangir and Mayurbhanj, WorldVeg, IRRI and local partners worked together to optimize rice-fallow management over 17,000 hectares, primarily by advocating the cultivation of mungbean and urdbean, and also chickpea, lentil, field pea, mustard and sesame in selected blocks to further diversify productivity.

Key to the project’s success were the local NGOs who played a crucial role with their grassroots presence and community connections that ensured effective adoption. Farmer producer organizations and women’s self-help groups were also instrumental, leading to greater community participation and empowerment. In addition, promoting ‘cluster farmer’ played an important part in sharing and saving costs and resources.

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As one farmer explained, “Our soil fertility has improved significantly. Instead of leaving our land uncultivated during the rabi season, we now earn extra income by growing mungbean, and due to this, we will need less fertilizer for the next crop, reducing our costs. The additional support and training from IRRI, WorldVeg and the state agricultural department have been invaluable.”

Listen to women farmers tell their own stories, here

See more farmer testimonials, here

The Comprehensive Rice Fallow Management (CRFM) Program is funded by the Odisha State Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment. It is implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), and the World Vegetable Center – South and Central Asia, along with many local NGO partners in different districts.