1. Rainfed Agriculture
 Introduction: Rainfed agriculture hinges the food and
livelihood security of a large number of people
worldwide (Rockstro¨m et al., 2010).
 Communities in the arid and semi-arid zones of the
world are faced with food deficits almost on an annual
basis due to crop failure (Makurira, 2010).
 Water scarcity is the biggest threat to food self-
sufficiency, which seems to exert even stronger
influence on rainfed agriculture in future (de Fraiture
et al., 2007; Hoff et al., 2009; Kijne et al., 2009).
 The scarcity of water for food production particularly
through agricultural droughts and dry spells will be a
big challenge for water management (Savenije, 1998,
Rockström, 2003).

2. CONT…
 One of the major crop production constraints in semi-arid
areas is short growing period, short term rainfall with high
runoff and moisture deficit (Madalcho. and Sido, 2015).
 In such area, in-situ rainwater harvesting techniques are
very crucial. The in-situ moisture conservation methods
influenced soil water availability and subsequent
vegetative growth and yield (Sudhishri et al., 2008; Dass et
al., 2011 and Manyatsi et al., 2011).
 Under such situations, alternate land use systems are
receiving greater attention in many countries to protect the
land from various types of degradation, diversifying the
farming system and increasing the soil carbon build up and
moisture (Masebo et al., 2014; Lenka et al., 2012; Singh
and Pandey, 2011; Lithourgidis et al., 2011).

3. CONT…
 Water is crucial input for augmenting agricultural
production towards sustainability in rainfed agriculture
which depends to a great extent on water saving
technologies and its efficient rainwater management.
 Proper mechanical and vegetative structure can help to
conserve the rainwater in-situ and provide the quite
essential moisture for crop growth.
 There are several soil and water conservation measures for
reduction of runoff and soil loss, such as strip cropping,
contour and graded bunding etc. Which not only controls
the runoff more efficiently but also curtails the soil loss and
enhanced the crop yield.
 Developing technologies to increase agricultural water-use
efficiency (WUE) through water harvesting and
conservation is a need and majority of the farmers have
been ignorant and unconfident of growing crops on dry
lands (Allolli, 2008).

4. CONT…
 Horticulture has assumed significant importance in the crop
diversification in recent years, which has become essential to
arrest serious land degradation and enhancing the farm income.
 Horticulture crops like citrus (citru sp.), guava (Psidium
guajava), Bael (Aegle marmelos) and ber (Ziziphus mauritiana)
play important role in enhancing farm income in vulnerable
rainfed areas. Hardy fruit crops have better choice in these areas.
Awasthi and Pareek (2008)
 Utilization of inter-space between trees can improve soil
nutrient and biological characteristics, physical properties,
enhancing total biomass production and further improve
farmer’s income from a unit land. Agri-horti system is one of the
most important cropping systems (Singh et al., 2013).

5. CONT…
 Legume crops intercropped in tropical fruit tree
production may act as important cash and trap
crops. Apart from fixing atmospheric N2,
recycling nutrients and improving soil nutrient
availability, they also help reducing erosion risks
and organic matter losses (Lehmann et al., 2000).
 Conjunction vegetables with Horticultural trees
enhance the soil fertility and crops productivity.

6. Main Constraints of Rainfed Agriculture
 Deforestation and shifting cultivation
 Soil erosion and degradation of hills
 Flooding in plains
 Low water quality for irrigation
 Lack of water resources
 Lack of sufficient transport and communication
 Technology gaps in agriculture and animal husbandry
 Rainfed agriculture affected by undependable and highly variable pattern
 Poor socio-economic system of the farmers

7. Strategies For Development
 Soil and water conservation measures
 Control in shifting cultivation
 Mushroom cultivation, sericulture and growing horticulture crops like pine apple,
mandarin orange pomegranate, Guava and citrus
 Drainage, land grading and storage of excess water in flood prone areas
 Augmenting irrigation sources and multiple cropping
 Extensive live stock development

8. Thank you so much
Kindly suggestions and
questions
Prepared by Naqibullah(Amir)Shinwari
Head of Vegetables Development and Management