Sugarcane+maize intercropping: A next-generation approach to achieve food-energy-water security and biofuel self-reliance in India

Abstract

Monoculture of sugarcane in India is causing inefficient resource utilization and delayed economic returns. To overcome these limitations, sugarcane+maize (SM) intercropping system has emerged as a sustainable and profitable alternative. The system strategically integrates maize during sugarcane’s initial slow growth phase, thereby improving land and water use efficiency while ensuring an additional income to farmers. Maize, with its short growth cycle, complements sugarcane by utilizing otherwise underutilized resources and diversifying farm output. Beyond food and feed, maize grain also serves as a potential feedstock for dual-feed distilleries, thereby supporting India’s bioethanol production targets. Recent on-farm field demonstrations have showed that SM intercropping increases sugarcane equivalent yield (SEY) by approximately 28% over sole sugarcane (150 t/ha) and translating into significantly higher net profits (` 1,25,000/ha). The maize yield of 4–8 t/ha was achieved in various agroecologies in SM system. The SM system has the potential to expand on to 15 lakh hectares which can produce more than 60 lakh tonnes of maize. SM intercropping also helps in strengthening biofuel security in India.