Indian Journal of Dryland Agricultural Research and Development

Dryland agriculture in India, covering about 51% of cultivated land, faces challenges such as low rainfall, high temperatures, and soil degradation, which hinder productivity. Farmers in these regions deal with environmental fluctuations, wind erosion, poor soil fertility, low yields, and reliance on traditional technologies. As a result, rainfed farmers are particularly vulnerable to price risks due to their dependence on markets for inputs and outputs, unlike subsistence farmers. Technology transfer in drylands addresses challenges like low rainfall, high temperatures, and water scarcity through innovations such as drought-resistant crops, efficient irrigation, soil conservation, and water management techniques like rainwater harvesting. Sustainable livestock practices and climate-resilient tools, including weather forecasting and climate-smart agriculture, enhance community resilience. Transfer of technology through Participatory extension approaches, ICAR-CRIDA Farmer First programme and Model village initiatives, digital extension approaches, gender sensitive technology transfer and livestock-based technology transfer are a few of the strategies adopted in drylands for enhancing the technology adoption and are discussed in this paper.