A new index measuring crop resilience to drought found that millets consistently outperform rice and maize in rain-dependent farming regions. Using 25 years of rainfall and yield data across Indian districts, the study shows millets lose far less yield during dry years and bounce back more reliably.
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Rice yield reductions during drought years frequently exceeded 40–60%, the highest climate sensitivity of all crops studied.
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Millet crops recorded lower drought-induced yield losses, lower rainfall sensitivity, and higher yield stability across all districts studied from 1998–2023.
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The Composite Crop Resilience Index rankings remained stable under alternative weighting scenarios, confirming the framework's robustness across different assumptions.
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