ICRISAT News

A new study by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet (ICAR-AICRP) suggests a re-evaluation of how and where pearl millet is grown in India due to changing climate conditions.

Pearl millet, an essential cornerstone of India's food security, finds itself at a critical juncture.

Amidst shifting weather patterns and evolving agricultural priorities, this study urges a timely revision of the classification criteria governing pearl millet cultivation zones, originally established back in 1979.

This study, featured in a special issue of the Agronomy Journal, used data from ICRISAT's District Level Database (DLD) to carefully re-examine the entire system.

Director General of ICRISAT Dr Jacqueline Hughes applauded the study and said that with climate change now a permanent reality, it is imperative to recalibrate the approach towards understanding and nurturing this vital crop for dryland communities.

The study used digital technology and crop models to re-evaluate the zones, creating a "digital twin" of the pearl millet system.

This digital twin helps design crops and strategies tailored to the current and future climate conditions of each region.

Currently, India's zones are based on rainfall and soil type: A1 for arid regions in Rajasthan, A for semi-arid regions in North and Central India, and B for semi-arid regions with heavy soils in South India.

The new zoning framework identifies 'AE1' as the core of India's pearl millet production, where favorable climate and soil conditions, along with improved pearl millet varieties, have led to significant yield increases.

'AE2' shows promising yield progress and better farming practices, offering potential for export-oriented gains.

The G zone is experiencing more rainfall due to climate changes, which may lead farmers to shift towards cash crops and limit pearl millet cultivation to the summer season.

This research was funded through collaborations between ICAR, ICRISAT, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, and the Crops to End Hunger initiative.

https://pressroom.icrisat.org/climate-change-sparks-changes-in-indias-pearl-millet-farming-zones-new-study