Explained: How India's rice yield can adapt to climate change challenges If farmers maintain current practices, rice production will decrease substantially by 2050 in India Friday March 12, 2021 6:11 PM, IANS New York: If farmers maintain current practices, rice production will decrease substantially by 2050 in India. But, various management strategies can mitigate the effects of climate change, say researchers, including one of Indian-origin. Traditional Rice Farming Traditional rice farming involves flooding the fields with water. Rice transplants need about six inches of standing water. If fields aren't level, it requires even more water to cover the crops. However, if farmers use direct-seeded rice instead of transplants, they can increase production while using significantly less water, the study indicated.