Despite offering higher yields and protection against climate shocks, climate-resilient rice varieties continue to see limited adoption across India. A recent analysis by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) shows that while farmers could earn significantly higher returns by switching to these varieties, structural gaps in seed systems and cautious farmer behaviour are slowing their spread.
Rice remains central to India’s food security and rural economy, covering nearly a quarter of the country’s cropped area and forming the backbone of public procurement and household consumption. Yet rice cultivation is increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, droughts and floods. In this context, climate-resilient rice varieties were developed to help farmers adapt, but their uptake remains far below potential.
High Economic Gains but Limited Coverage
According to the ICAR study *Economic Evaluation of Climate Resilient Rice Varieties*, farmers could gain between ₹17,540 and ₹47,160 per hectare by adopting different groups of climate-resilient rice varieties. These gains include both higher average yields and reduced downside risk during extreme weather events, which disproportionately affect small and marginal farmers.
The study evaluated 21 climate-resilient rice varieties cultivated across 3.82 million hectares, accounting for just 7.9 per cent of India’s total rice area. It estimated that widespread adoption could generate an economic surplus of over ₹2.11 lakh crore by 2030, equivalent to nearly ₹10,774 crore annually. However, despite the availability of close to 100 climate-resilient rice varieties, only around 10 per cent of India’s rice area currently uses them, highlighting a persistent gap between research and on-ground adoption.
Climate Stress Makes Resilient Varieties Critical
Climate risks to rice production are intensifying. Under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture programme, nearly 40 per cent of India’s districts have been classified as highly vulnerable to climate change, with large areas prone to droughts, floods and heat stress. Production volatility in these regions directly affects food availability, prices and rural incomes.
The ICAR analysis found that drought-tolerant rice varieties delivered the highest economic benefits, particularly in Jharkhand and Odisha, generating an estimated surplus of over ₹1.08 lakh crore by 2030. Submergence-tolerant varieties cultivated in flood-prone regions such as Assam and Odisha could generate nearly ₹79,837 crore over the same period, as these crops can survive up to 14 days under water.
In regions facing both drought and flooding, including parts of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, dual stress-tolerant varieties produced more modest but still meaningful gains of around ₹6,213 crore. Salinity-tolerant rice varieties generated over ₹3,043 crore in coastal regions affected by seawater intrusion, while aerobic rice varieties suited for water-scarce conditions contributed economic gains of more than ₹10,622 crore.
Seed Shortages and Farmer Caution Slow Adoption
Despite these advantages, adoption remains uneven and concentrated around a few popular varieties. Drought- and submergence-tolerant varieties such as Sahabhagi Dhan and Swarna Sub1 dominate diffusion, each covering about 1.66 million hectares. Other varieties show far more limited spread, reflecting both farmer hesitation and supply-side challenges.
The study found that farmers often adopt new varieties cautiously, testing them on small plots and relying heavily on peer experiences before expanding cultivation. Even when demand exists, seed availability remains a major bottleneck. Weak formal seed markets, fragmented distribution systems and dependence on short-term institutional projects have restricted consistent access to climate-resilient seeds.
The report highlighted how adoption of Sahabhagi Dhan collapsed in several districts after Cyclone Titli in 2019 destroyed local seed stocks. With no reliable formal markets to replenish seeds, farmers were forced to abandon the variety. Similar patterns were observed for salinity-tolerant rice in Odisha and the Sundarbans, where farmers reverted to traditional varieties not due to poor performance, but because improved seeds were unavailable.
Aerobic rice faces even steeper barriers, as its cultivation requires new machinery, weed management practices and herbicides, increasing costs and perceived risks for farmers. These additional requirements often outweigh the expected benefits, slowing adoption despite growing water stress.
The study concludes that without strengthening seed systems, improving last-mile availability and reducing adoption risks for farmers, climate-resilient rice will remain underutilised. As climate pressures intensify, bridging this gap is essential not just for farmer incomes, but for India’s long-term food security.