Abstract

Conventional paddy production is the world’s largest single consumer of water and uses 34-43% of the total world’s irrigation water or 24-30% of the total world’s freshwater withdrawals. Water scarcity constrains agricultural production, particularly for rice, one of the most important global food crops. Adopting a system of rice intensification (SRI) can raise yields and income while using lesser water and other inputs. Additional benefits of SRI are diminished greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, less runoff water pollution, and greater climate resilience. Changes in crop and water management practices for growing rice offer improvement in food security, could conserve resources, benefits the environment, and be adaptable to climate change. Evidence to support these facts is discussed here in this paper.