Dryland horticulture: A boon to rainfed farmers

Abstract

Dryland horticulture is an approach to growing food that involves planting crops which can survive without water for at least six months or more. This means that farmers can grow their crops even when there isn’t enough rainwater available to irrigate their fields. Dryland horticulture has a special significance in minimizing the risks and enhancing the productivity and income. The selection of fruits and vegetable crops vary due to rainfed agro-ecologies (rainfall and soil type). High yielding and suitable cultivars for dryland areas and their multiplication, water and nutrient management, technologies that extend shelf-life of fruits, value addition of the products and marketing are to be promoted to farmers, and fruit and vegetable growers. There is an ample scope for enhancing the
resilience and income of farmers in rainfed areas through dryland horticulture.