Bayer’s DirectAcres Initiative Expands to Over 200,000 Acres in India

The programme has grown from 3,500 hectares in 2023 to more than 81,000 hectares in 2026, supporting the adoption of Direct Seeded Rice through an integrated cropping-system approach.

Bayer has expanded its DirectAcres initiative to more than 81,000 hectares, equivalent to over 200,000 acres, in 2026. The programme aims to advance resource-efficient rice cultivation in India by helping farmers transition to Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) through an integrated approach combining agricultural technologies, agronomy, mechanisation and digital advisory services.

Direct Seeded Rice Addresses Cultivation Challenges

Rice cultivation in India faces growing pressure from water resource constraints, rising cultivation costs and persistent labour shortages. These challenges are affecting the viability of conventional transplanting methods.

Direct Seeded Rice involves sowing seeds directly into the field rather than transplanting seedlings. Compared with conventional transplanted rice, DSR has the potential to reduce water use by up to 30–40%, greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45% and reliance on manual labour by up to 50%. Actual outcomes can vary depending on geography, cultivation practices and farm conditions.

DSR can also help reduce cultivation costs and manual labour requirements while improving operational efficiency.

Integrated Approach Supports DSR Adoption

DirectAcres addresses the challenges of adopting DSR through a cropping-system approach rather than treating it as a standalone technology. Bayer combines its capabilities in Seeds & Traits, Crop Protection, Digital Farming Solutions and agronomy with tailored mechanisation and digital advisory services.

The programme connects farmers and local agri-entrepreneurs with mechanisation partners, digital advisory services, and public- and private-sector stakeholders. This approach aims to create the support ecosystem required to expand adoption.

By addressing challenges such as weed management, access to machinery and crop establishment, DirectAcres seeks to make DSR more accessible and economically viable for smallholder farmers while encouraging efficient and resilient farming practices.

DirectAcres Expands Across Nine States

Since its pilot in 2021, DirectAcres has expanded across several rice-growing regions in India. Its coverage increased from 3,500 hectares in 2023 to 17,000 hectares in 2024, 46,000 hectares in 2025 and more than 81,000 hectares in 2026.

The initiative operates across Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Its presence across these states reflects the programme’s application in different rice-growing geographies and farming conditions.

Through DirectAcres, Bayer aims to support farmers in transitioning to DSR with a combination of technologies, agronomic expertise and on-ground assistance.

Bayer Highlights Resource-Efficient Rice Production

Commenting on the milestone, Simon Wiebusch, Country Divisional Head, Crop Science Division of Bayer for India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka said, “Reaching more than 200,000 acres is more than a growth milestone. It demonstrates that Direct Seeded Rice can be scaled across diverse geographies and farming conditions when farmers have access to the right technologies, services and support. DirectAcres brings together Bayer’s integrated capabilities across seeds, crop protection, digital solutions and agronomy to enable this transition. Our ambition is to help farmers improve profitability and operational efficiency while advancing more resource-efficient rice production in India.”

DirectAcres forms part of Bayer’s broader regenerative agriculture ambition to advance productive, resource-efficient and resilient farming systems. The company plans to continue expanding the initiative’s capabilities and partnerships to support the adoption of resource-efficient rice cultivation in India and create long-term value for farmers.