Kahan Singh Pannu, a retired IAS officer, developed the Seeding of Rice on Beds (SRB) technique to address Punjab’s severe groundwater depletion crisis.

“Traditional paddy farming in Punjab consumes vast amounts of water, with up to 4,000 litres needed to produce just one kilogram of rice,” he says.

“Fields are flooded throughout the growing season to suppress weed growth, a practice that inadvertently drains the water table,” he explains.

The SRB technique reduces water usage by 75 percent, allowing farmers to grow paddy using only 25 percent of the water typically required.

This method involves planting seeds on raised beds, ensuring that water reaches the roots without flooding the entire field.

Kahan Singh collaborated with local manufacturers to create a machine that prepares beds and plants seeds simultaneously, improving efficiency and accuracy.

The technique also addresses weed control challenges by using herbicide-tolerant seeds, which help eliminate weeds without constant flooding.

In trials across 12 sites in Punjab, the SRB technique yielded results comparable to traditional methods, with farmers harvesting up to 28 quintals of paddy per acre.

“Farmers save approximately Rs 8,000 per acre due to reduced labour and water requirements, slashing their cultivation costs by nearly half,” he says.

“These savings make the technique attractive for adoption across the economically stressed farming community,” he adds.