Growing pulses, oilseeds, and short-duration legumes in rice fallows is a smart way to boost both productivity and sustainability in rainfed farming areas, especially where land usually stays unused after the rice crop. Instead of leaving fields empty, farmers can grow crops like lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, or mustard that don’t need much water and can grow well with the leftover soil moisture.

One big advantage of this is that pulses and legumes naturally add nitrogen to the soil, which improves soil fertility without needing a lot of fertilizers. This keeps the soil healthier for the next rice crop and helps reduce input costs in the long run.

Additionally, growing these crops means farmers can get an extra harvest and more income from the same piece of land. That’s a big deal in rainfed areas where farming options are limited. These crops also provide nutritious food, which helps improve the diet of rural families.

Another benefit is that mixing up crops like this helps break pest and disease cycles, which often hit when the same crop is grown repeatedly. So, it’s not just better for the soil, but it also reduces the need for pesticides.

Overall, growing pulses, oilseeds, and legumes in rice-fallows is a practical and low-cost way to make better use of land, improve soil health, and increase farmers' earnings. It makes the farming system more diverse, resilient, and sustainable, especially in areas where water and resources are limited.