Bao Dhan of Assam:Organically Grown Indigenous Rice Slated to Increase Farmer’s Income

India, including Assam, has diverse geographical regions with varied climatic conditions for rice cultivation. Thousands of hectares of land is subjected to flood every year which results in poor economic returns to the farming community. Although deep-water rice (DWR) is grown in many states of India in limited areas, the main area of DWR cultivation is the Brahmaputra valley of Assam. Although rice plays a pivotal role in the socio-cultural life of the people of Assam, DWR is God’s gift to Assam, which provides food and nutrition to 30 million people in a condition where other crops cannot be cultivated due to yearround stagnation of water. The state is severely affected by floods almost every year during rainy season due to overflow of the Brahmaputra basin causing enormous damage to crops, livestock, land and properties. However, DWR rice is naturally grown in such areas, giving some economic relief to the flood-prone poor farmers.