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Approximately 80% of global farming community depends on rainfed agriculture (Rockstrom et al., 2003). National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) of India estimates that 2/5th of total geographical area and 56% of total cropped area along with 42% food production comes from rainfed agriculture. About 72% of the global dryland areas are in developing countries compared with 28% in industrial/developed countries. In India, around 68% of the cultivated area is under dryland agriculture, which is the major contributor (44%) of the total food production, and plays a critical role in country’s food security. Majority of the farming community in India depends on rainfed agriculture. Dryland agriculture in India contributes approximately 80% of cereals, 50% of maize, 88% of soybean, and 65% of pigeon peas and chickpea, among other crops. Net sown area of the country (141Mha) has remained constant for several years, but human population is increasing. Overall dryland farming produces 40% of food and supports 2/3rd of the livestock (Srinivasarao et al., 2015a, Bhattacharya et al., 2015, Singh et al., 2021). India ranks first among the rainfed farming nations in both degree and value of produce. As estimated by UN 2019, nearly 273 million people will be added in India between 2019 and 2050. By 2025, population in the dryland areas in India may reach 600M (Singh et al., 2002). To meet the food requirements of growing population, it is essential to enhance productivity without jeopardizing soil and water resources. Further, people living below poverty line (BPL) are mainly concentrated in rainfed regions. Sustainable management of soil and water is …