Vol. 11, Special Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Anirudh and Sandeep Menon

Abstract:
Punjab predominantly follows the rice and wheat farming system. At present this farming system is facing a serious crisis as according to renowned researchers’ wheat and rice cropping system have either stagnated or declined. The researchers are also planning to shift the area from paddy and wheat to legume crops. Cultivation of legume crop also provides an opportunity for the third crop in a year and also introduces diversification in the typical conventional farming system. Farmers can sow high-yielding short-duration varieties of pulses in between rice and wheat cropping systems to generate additional income. Moreover, the diversification in the farming system of Punjab will control the overexploitation of natural resources by the farmers as it will maintain the sustainability of the system by maintaining soil fertility and by providing Nitrogen and organic matter. In order to enhance the pulse production National Food Security Mission- Pulses Programme was started in Punjab from 2007-08. NFSM was helpful to increase the production and area of sample farms in different districts of Punjab. The study shows that the cultivation of pulses is profitable but the lack of government procurement and unstable productivity of pulses as compared to cereal crops act as a barrier in increasing the area under pulses in Punjab. It is recommended that government should provide the minimum supporting price like rice and wheat, high yielding varieties on the specific location-based for the legume crops to increase its productivity in Punjab. This will encourage the farmers to grow pulses in the rice-wheat cropping system.