In India, the potential for improvement in agriculture performance has been identified in the region of Tamil Nadu, which hosts a large rural population dependent on crop production as a main source of income. The proposed “Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernization Project” (TNIAMP) is a World Bank funded project that aims to enhance the productivity and resilience of irrigated agriculture and increase value-added for targeted beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu. With a planned implementation period of 2017 to 2027, the project focuses on increasing crop productivity and water-use efficiency, introducing crop and income diversification into non-paddy production systems and value-addition activities, as well as promoting climate-resilient farming practices and technologies.

The present analysis focuses on an upgrade from conventional rice production (1 to 3 rice crops) to a mix of conventional and more frequent use of the SRI methodology. The value chain is analysed from production to the distribution of rice into inner markets, comparing the performance of an upgrading scenario to the current situation.