Only 1500 litres of water used to produce 1 kg of rice: ICAR chief

Subject: Geography

Sec: Eco Geo

Context:

Himanshu Pathak, Director-General of ICAR, highlighted that the average water consumption to produce one kilogram of rice in India is about 1,500 litres, significantly lower than the previously cited 4,000-5,000 litres.
This average includes water used in both rain-fed (45%) and irrigated (55%) areas, with higher usage noted in the northern irrigated regions.

Annual Rice Research Conference:

During the two-day All India Coordinated Research Project on Rice (AICRPR) conference in Delhi, agricultural scientists discussed the importance of not rushing into crop diversification despite the high water usage in rice cultivation.
They emphasized India’s heavy reliance on rice and the challenges in replacing it with imports if needed.
The conference served as a platform for rice breeders across India to review the outcomes of recently released rice varieties and to strategize future research directions aimed at creating a resilient and sustainable rice production system.
Herbicide Tolerance: Pusa Basmati 1979 and Pusa Basmati 1985 varieties of rice can withstand herbicide application without harm.

About Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) method:

DSR, also called the ‘broadcasting seed technique’, is a water-saving method of sowing paddy.
Seeds are directly drilled into the fields in this method.
This saves groundwater, as opposed to the traditional water-intensive method, under which rice seedlings are transplanted from a nursery to waterlogged fields.
With the DSR technique, farmers must sow paddy only after pre-sowing (rauni) irrigation and not in dry fields. Further, the field should be laser levelled.
Advantages:
- No significant reduction of yield under optimal conditions;
- Savings on irrigation water by 12-35% under efficient water management practices;
- Reduces labour and drudgery by eliminating seedling uprooting and transplanting;
- Reduces cultivation time, energy, and cost;
- No plant stress from transplanting;
- Faster maturation of crops;
- Lower GHG emissions;
- Mechanized DSR provides employment opportunities;
- Increases total income by reducing the cost of cultivation;
Current Constraints:
- Higher seed rates;
- Seeds exposed to birds and pests;
- Weed management;
- Higher risk of lodging;
- Risk of poor or non-uniform crop establishment;