Sustainable intensification of wheat through early sowing: insights from the Eastern Indo-Gangetic plains

Abstract Sustainable intensification among smallholder farming in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia aims to enhance productivity while reducing negative environmental impacts. Early wheat sowing is promoted to increase yields and may have the co-benefit of reducing nutrient pollution, as it minimizes physiological stress and thus maximizes nutrient uptake. However, evidence of these co-benefits is sparse in ‘real-world’ conditions. We address this gap by analyzing farm survey data collected from Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states in Eastern India. Using an instrumental variable method, our results indicate that early wheat sowing (i.e., before the third week of November) improves nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium use efficiencies by 5–8% and increases productivity by 6–8%. However, these benefits are heterogeneous, with larger farms and those applying higher doses of fertilizer being the primary contributor to environmental pollution. Our findings suggest targeted policy interventions to optimize the yield and environmental benefits of early wheat sowing in the Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states within the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains.