Expansion of Sunflower Areas in Paddy Fallows

Dar, M H and Pal, A and Sonkar, V K and Singh, Randhir and Gaddameedi, A and Kumara Charyulu, D and Mayes, S and Mathur, R K and Kumar, G D S (2025) Expansion of Sunflower Areas in Paddy Fallows. Project Report. ICRISAT, Patancheru.

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Global Research Program - Accelerated Crop Improvement

Additional Information

We express our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, and the National Food Security Mission-Oilseeds for their continued support and strategic direction in advancing sunflower area expansion in rice fallow areas. We acknowledge the cooperation and field-level support provided by the State Departments of Agriculture in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal. Their proactive engagement enabled successful implementation across diverse agroecological regions. The Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad, is duly acknowledged for capacity building, monitoring, and scientific inputs. We are thankful to our state and local partners, including Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and SHGs, for their critical role in community mobilization, training, and last-mile delivery of inputs and technical guidance. We sincerely appreciate the enthusiasm and participation of the farmers, particularly the women farmers and collectives, who adopted sunflower in challenging environments and contributed valuable insights through field demonstrations and surveys.

Abstract

India, despite being the fourth-largest producer of oilseeds globally with an output of 39.67 million tons in 2024, remains heavily dependent on imports to meet nearly 60% of its edible oil demand. This dependence burdens the country’s foreign exchange reserves and points out the underutilization of vast post-monsoon rice fallows. To address this strategic gap, a multi-state initiative was launched under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Oilseeds to promote sunflower cultivation in 8,000 hectares of rice fallows across six states-Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Odisha, and West Bengal-during the 2024–25 rabi (post-monsoon) season. Sunflower, due to its low water requirement, adaptability to residual soil moisture, and high oil content, is one of the climate-resilient and economically viable crop for rice-fallow intensification. The initiative led by ICRISAT with support from MoAFW to boost sunflower cultivation in rice fallows was rooted in scientific planning and participatory outreach, backed by geospatial targeting, soil testing, and alignment with agroclimatic suitability. Eighteen districts were selected based on land availability and institutional readiness, with Odisha accounting for the highest area coverage (4,600 ha), followed by Karnataka, Bihar, and West Bengal (1,000 ha each), and pilot-scale operations in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh (200 ha each). A total of 16,871 farmers participated in the initiative, 44.8% of whom were women, emphasizing strong gender inclusivity. Women’s participation was particularly high in Jharkhand (98.7%), Odisha (60.8%), and Chhattisgarh (60.1%), achieved through targeted mobilization via SHGs and training programs. The intervention covered 420 farmer training sessions and 19 officer-level trainings, equipping over 8,400 stakeholders with technical knowledge on agronomy, post-harvest handling, and value addition. Adoption intensity was high, with farmers allocating an average of 33.8% of their total landholdings to sunflower, peaking at 58% in Karnataka. Rice remained the dominant kharif crop (97.1% of participants), validating the suitability of fallow intensification through sunflower in these rice-dominated systems. Crop performance monitoring, field observations, and feedback from farmers confirmed improved seed filling, uniformity, and oil content in bee-supported plots. The initiative also successfully linked production with early-stage market and value chain development. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) played a key role in aggregation, procurement, and establishing market linkages. In Odisha, over 51.3% of farmers sold sunflower to processors, while Karnataka showed the highest proportion (62.8%) of processor-linked sales. Conversely, farm gate sales dominated in states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, indicating a need for improved aggregation and marketing infrastructure. Soil testing of 640 samples revealed critical deficiencies in organic carbon, phosphorus, sulphur, calcium, boron, and zinc, highlighting the need for site-specific nutrient management. The use of short-duration (82-85 days) hybrid sunflower variety KBHS-78, combined with conservation tillage and nutrient supplementation, enabled cultivation in low-input, moisture-limited conditions. The integration of 150 beekeeping demonstration units (110 in Karnataka and 40 in Odisha) served both ecological and economic functions—enhancing sunflower yields through improved pollination and offering an additional income stream from honey production. These units catalyzed local interest in beekeeping, especially among women’s groups in tribal districts. The initiative’s social equity lens is reflected in its outreach to marginalized groups-Scheduled Tribes (STs) comprised 36.6% and Other Backward Castes (OBCs) 41.2% of all participants. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh had the highest ST representation at 76.1% and 83.7%, respectively. Tailored engagement strategies ensured the inclusion of communities traditionally excluded from high-value crop cultivation and market systems.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Divisions:	Global Research Program - Accelerated Crop Improvement
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Series Name:	Project Report
Uncontrolled Keywords:	agroclimatic suitability, sunflower cultivation, rice fallows, value chain development,
Subjects:	Others > Odisha Others > Rice Others > Seed Systems
Depositing User:	Mr Nagaraju T
Date Deposited:	08 Jan 2026 10:29
Last Modified:	08 Jan 2026 10:29
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/13417
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