Direct seeded rice: What are the benefits, potential and suitability in Haryana, India?

Rice is one of the most widely grown cereal crops in India, providing primary nutrition as well as key livelihood and economic value – $23.3 billion in 2020. It is a water-intensive crop, however, and requires 1,000–2,000 millimeters of irrigation per cropping cycle, contributing to almost 40% of freshwater withdrawals in India. Most irrigation water is abstracted from groundwater, which relies on pumping that has led to a significant decline in the groundwater table in many places. Shifts in cultivation practices and management may foster greater sustainability.