OAR@ICRISATAn Economic Assessment of the Potential Benefits of Breeding for Drought Tolerance in Crops: A Case of Groundnut in IndiaP SBirthalauthorS NNigamauthorANarayananauthorK AKareemauthorThis report provides estimates of the potential benefits from the adoption of an improved drought-tolerant groundnut variety ICGV 91114 in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh (India), one of the most chronically drought-prone districts known for its groundnut production. Groundnut area in the district ranges between 0.8 and 1.0 milllion ha and variety TMV 2 , which was released 70 years ago, continues to dominate. A new drought-tolerant groundnut variety ICGV 91114, developed by ICRISAT, was found a suitable alternative to TMV 2 through farmer-participatory varietal selection trials. At the farm level, adoption of ICGV 91114 has a pod yield advantage of 23%, reduces yield variability by 30% and generates 36% higher net income compared to TMV 2. Its adoption in 35% of the 0.8 million ha under groundnut in Anantapur by 2020-21 is likely to generate a surplus of Rs 694 million a year; of which 65% would accrue due to higher yield and 35% due to reduction in yield variability. Despite a reduction in yield advantage (30%) and variance, the benefits remain huge. Small farmers being more risk averse than other farmers, they can benefit more from the adoption of improved drought-tolerant varieties. These benefits are illustrative and a widespread adoption of drought-tolerant varieties in the dryland tropics is likely to reduce farmers’ vulnerability to climatic shocks. The need is to reorient the research and extension agenda with adequate focus on generation and dissemination of climate-resilient crop varieties.Groundnut2011International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid TropicsMonograph

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