Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network-RRAN, is a pan India platform that works with government agencies to influence the nature, amount, and delivery of public investment in rainfed agriculture.

RRAN is a growing network of over 260 civil society organisations, research institutions, policy makers, donor agencies and individuals advocating for a differentiated policy and support system for rainfed agriculture in India.

RRAN’s work is premised on the following:

  • The majority areas of rural poverty in India overlap with rainfed areas, regionsof Indian agriculture that are predominantly dependent on rainfall

  • Majority of public support for agriculture is predicated on irrigation, leading to concentration of public investments in irrigated areas.

    • Public Investment on Procurement of rice and wheat goes predominantly to irrigated areas where they are largely grown for the market.

    • Fertilzer Subsidy too is consumed by irrigated areas by virtue of higher rate of its application: Fertilizer Subsidy per hectare in 2009 in Punjab was ~Rs. 3800 vs-a-vs in Rajasthan at Rs 800.

  • As a consequence, rainfed India that constitutes 80% farmers and 64% land area, are excluded from layered investments, resulting in low yields and high uncertainty.

RRAN believes that targeted public support, customised for rainfed agriculture and allied production systems, holds potential for improving yields, reducing levels of malnutrition, and stabilizing livelihoods and communities leading to inclusive growth.

Statement of Purpose

RRA network aims to reconfigure public systems, policy and investments for productive, prosperous and resilient rainfed agriculture by building synergies between diversity of ecosystems and the development aspirations of our people.

We believe that

  • an integral element of poverty elimination in India is the revitalisation of rainfed agriculture

  • realising the productivity potential of rainfed agriculture requires the adoption of an eco-systems approach, which creates powerful synergies between environmental regeneration and development

  • this paradigm shift needs a reconfiguration of public systems, specifically focused on rainfed agriculture

  • such a reconfiguration requires a significant rise in investments in rainfed areas

  • as also a transformation in the nature and design of public policies and systems, to foster resilience and a participatory adaptation, truly reflecting the enormous social and agro-ecological diversity of rainfed areas