What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system ? How crop diversification is helpful to stabilise the yield of the crops in the system ?
Approach · directive: “what are the major reasons / how”
What it asks · Give the causes of stagnating and declining rice and wheat yields in the rice-wheat cropping system, and explain how diversifying crops can steady yields.
It asks 2 things — answer each
- Explain the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yields in the rice-wheat cropping system
- Explain how crop diversification helps stabilise yields in the system
Open with · Punjab, the heart of the rice-wheat system, extracts 156.87 per cent of its annual extractable groundwater (CGWB assessment 2024); four decades of the same two cereals have turned the Green Revolution's granary into a zone of stagnant yields and rising costs.
Cover
- Soil: loss of organic carbon and micronutrients, imbalance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, salinity and waterlogging reduce response to fertiliser.
- Water: falling groundwater levels and free or cheap power make paddy cultivation costly and unsustainable in Punjab and Haryana.
- Pests and disease: monoculture builds up pests, weeds and resistance; residue burning harms soil life and air quality.
- Climate stress: heat during grain filling in wheat and erratic monsoons reduce yields; new high-yielding varieties have come slowly.
- Policy bias: assured procurement and support prices for rice and wheat discourage other crops.
- Diversification: pulses, oilseeds, maize and vegetables in rotation fix nitrogen, break pest cycles, improve soil structure and cut water use.
- Diversification: mixed crops spread weather and price risk and add income; success needs price support, procurement and markets for alternative crops.
Close with · Diversification returns the system to the agronomy the Green Revolution skipped: rotate, rest and recharge; with assured markets for the alternative crops it steadies yields and secures 'per drop more crop' for the next generation on the Indo-Gangetic plain.
Add value (verified)
- CGWB's Punjab report (2024): the State's stage of groundwater extraction was 156.87% in GWRA-2024, far above the 100% that defines over-exploitation.Dynamic Ground Water Resources & Ground Water Quality of Punjab, 2024 — Central Ground Water Board, Ministry of Jal Shakti ↗“Stage of Ground Water Extrac- tion (in %) 164.42 165.99 163.76 165.77 156.87”
- Haryana's Mera Pani Meri Virasat scheme (Kharif 2020) pays Rs 7,000 per acre to farmers who replace paddy with alternate crops.Crop Diversification Programme – 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat' — Haryana Water Resources Authority ↗“Under this scheme, Rs. 7000/- per acre is provided to the farmers who have replaced their paddy crop by alternate crops.”
- Crop Diversification Programme under RKVY in the original Green Revolution States (Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh) since 2013-14, to divert paddy area to pulses, oilseeds, coarse and nutri cereals.PIB: Crop Diversification Programmes (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Parliament reply) ↗“in the Original Green Revolution States viz; Haryana, Punjab & Uttar Pradesh since 2013-14 to divert the area of water guzzling paddy crop to alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri cereals, etc.”
- The Soil Health Card scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on 19 February 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan.PIB: PM launches 'Soil Health Card scheme', presents Krishi Karman Awards from Suratgarh, Rajasthan (19 February 2015) ↗“PM launches 'Soil Health Card scheme', presents Krishi Karman Awards from Suratgarh, Rajasthan Print X Close Press Information Bureau Government of India Prime Minister's Office 19-February-2015”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2017, GS Paper III — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 373words · Minimalist IAS
Punjab, the heart of the rice-wheat system, now extracts 156.87 per cent of its annual extractable groundwater (CGWB assessment 2024). Four decades of the same two cereals have turned the Green Revolution's granary into a zone of stagnant yields and rising costs.
Why rice and wheat yields are declining in the system
- Soil fatigue: continuous cereals mine nutrients; organic carbon and zinc fall, and excess nitrogen against phosphorus and potash lowers fertiliser response.
- Water mining: flooded paddy plus free power pulls water tables down; canal tracts suffer waterlogging and salinity.
- Biotic pressure: monoculture builds up pests and has bred herbicide-resistant Phalaris minor in wheat; stubble burning kills soil life.
- Climate stress: terminal heat at grain filling cuts wheat; a late monsoon delays transplanting and squeezes the wheat window.
- Technology plateau: the yield potential of Green Revolution varieties is largely spent.
- Policy lock-in: assured procurement at MSP for rice and wheat makes every other crop the riskier choice.
How crop diversification stabilises yields in the system
- Soil renewal: pulses fix nitrogen and add biomass; deep-rooted crops improve structure, so cereal yields recover next season.
- Breaking cycles: a change of crop interrupts pest, weed and disease cycles and cuts pesticide use.
- Water balance: maize, pulses and oilseeds draw far less water than paddy, keeping the aquifer viable.
- Risk spreading: a crop mix spreads weather and price risk across the farm.
| Rotation | Soil and water | Yield outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Rice-wheat only | Nutrient mining, falling water table | Stagnant, costlier |
| Rice-wheat with a pulse | Nitrogen fixed, biomass added | Steadier cereals |
| Maize or oilseed for paddy | Lower water draw | System sustained |
Way forward
- Scale the Crop Diversification Programme, run under RKVY since 2013-14 in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to shift paddy area to pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals.
- Pay for water saved: Haryana's Mera Pani Meri Virasat (2020) gives Rs 7,000 per acre for replacing paddy.
- Balanced nutrition and markets: Soil Health Cards (launched 19 February 2015) for NPK dosing; MSP and procurement for pulses and oilseeds; direct-seeded rice and micro-irrigation.
Diversification returns the system to the agronomy the Green Revolution skipped: rotate, rest and recharge. With assured markets for the alternative crops, it steadies yields and secures 'per drop more crop' for the next generation on the Indo-Gangetic plain.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
