Indian agriculture remains predominantly rainfed covering about 60% of the country’s net sown area and accounts for 40% of the total food production. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) has been formulated for enhancing agricultural productivity especially in rainfed areas focusing on integrated farming, water use efficiency, soil health management and synergizing resource conservation. Rainfed Area Development (RAD) is one of the four components of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).

RAD adopts an area based approach for development and conservation of natural resources along with appropriate integrated farming system. It explores potential utilization of natural assets created / available through Watershed Development and Soil conservation activities under MGNREGS/NWDPRA / RVP /RKVY /IWMP etc. It aims at promoting Integrated Farming System (IFS) with emphasis on multi cropping, rotational cropping ,inter cropping ,mix cropping practices and allied activities of Horticulture, Livestock, Fishery, Forestry, Apiculture, Mushroom etc which enable the farmers in not only maximizing farm production for sustainable livelihood , but also to mitigate the impact of drought, flood and other extreme weather events. Under this programme Location specific crops, Fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants etc are supported and natural resource strengthening activities are either converged or supplemented Implementation of RAD has been taken up since 2014-15.