www.IndianJournals.com Members Copy, Not for Commercial Sale Downloaded From IP - 202.141.138.197 on dated 21-Dec-2013 100 Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) region occupying a vast area over the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal in India is generally characterized by fertile soils, favourable climate and an abundant supply of water for agricultural production system. Although, maize- wheat and sugarcane based cropping systems are found; the rice-wheat cropping system is most prominent in IGP. But for over a decade, the rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) yields in high productivity zones have either stagnated or declined. The important reasons are decline in partial or total factor productivity (PFP or TFP) (Hobbs and Morris, 1996; Murgai 1999; Ali and Byerlee 2000) resulting from depletion of soil fertility, deterioration of water resources, intensification of pest and diseases in mono-cropping and changes in climate mean values and meteorological parameters leading to changes in the length of growing season over the regions. The system commonly shows signs of fatigue and is no longer exhibiting increased production with higher input use based on the current pattern. Despite intense research efforts to lift rice yields, there are large gaps between biologically and climatically Factor Productivity and Yield Gap Analysis for Agricultural Production System in Northwest India D. Barman 1 , R. N. Sahoo, D. Chakraborty and N. Kalra Division of Agricultural Physics, IARI, New Delhi-110 012. 1 Corresponding author's location address: Central Soil & Water Conservation Research & Training Institute (CSWCRTI), Research Centre, Orissa – 763 002 ABSTRACT: Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) region occupying a vast area over the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal in India is generally characterized by fertile soils, favourable climate and an abundant supply of water for agricultural production system. Agricultural factor productivity change indicates the sustainability and vulnerability of food security for the growing population. Analysis of factor productivity and yield gaps is needed for implication of policy formation regarding security of food system. This paper discusses factor productivity trends and yield gaps which are the keys to determine agricultural inputs use efficiency. Analysis of data revealed that the total factor productivity (TFPs) of rice, wheat, maize and mustard increased, although partial factor productivity (PFPs) of the crops for fertilizers and manures, irrigation and pesticides are in declining trend over the last decade in the Karnal district. The production can be increased by reducing yield gaps (attainable minus actual yields) viz. 48, 30, 35 and 52 % for rice, wheat, maize and mustard, respectively. Keywords: Factor productivity, yield gap, input use efficiency, Karnal district, IGP. achievable potential yields and research station and on- farm yields in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of south Asia (Aggarwal et al. 2000a; Pathak et al. 2003). Narrowing yield gaps aims not only to increase crop yield and production but also to improve the efficiency of land and labor use, to reduce production costs, and to increase sustainability. Yield gaps of crops are often caused by various factors, such as physical, biological, socioeconomic, and institutional constraints, which can be effectively improved through participatory and holistic approaches in action and government attention. An integrated program approach is essential. The narrowing of the yield gap is not static but dynamic with technological developments in rice production, as the gaps tend to enlarge with improvement of the yield potential of rice varieties (Duwayri et al. 1999; Tran 1997). Productivity can be measured by partial and total factor productivity (TFP). Partial measures are the amount of output per unit of a particular input. Commonly used partial measures are yield (output per unit of land), and labour productivity (output per economically active person or per agricultural person-hour) (Block, Indian J.Dryland Agric. Res. & Dev. 2010 25(2) : 100-105