Navigating challenges and unlocking future opportunities in cereal-based cropping systems in India

Cereal-based cropping systems, particularly in India, are vital for food and livelihood security. These systems, which mostly include rice-based, millet-based, and maize-based rotations, are crucial for meeting the growing food demands of over 1.4 billion people in the country. However, the sustainability of dominant cropping systems faces significant challenges, including soil degradation, declining groundwater, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution due to faulty agronomic practices. These practices have led to increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, climatic vulnerabilities, herbicide resistance in weed species, and outbreaks of biotic stresses. Sustainable agricultural practices such as multiple stress-tolerant crop varieties, organic amendments, efficient water and fertilizer management, and nature-friendly regenerative agriculture (RA)/conservation agriculture (CA), along with the adoption of digital tools and practices and decision support systems, are considered solutions to improve soil health, increase water and nutrient efficiency, and mitigate environmental impacts. RA/CA plays a critical role in enhancing soil quality index (SQI) through improved agronomic practices, which improve overall soil health. It also saves water and energy while significantly increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) levels, especially in the topsoil, promoting long-term carbon sequestration, and fostering greater resilience. The modern agronomic technologies should be layered on precision techniques, such as laser land levelling, micro-irrigation systems, fertigation, and decision tools for real-time in-season management of nutrient, water, and biotic and abiotic stresses, weather forecast with agro-advisory, and better scenario analysis for farmers’ resource allocation and investment. We identified the challenges, opportunities, and innovative management strategies and policy options for sustainable climate-resilient cereal systems in India.