The success of crop establishment can be achieved by rapid germination, which relies on soil water content and seed-soil contact. Growing crops with drought and heat tolerance is one method for adapting to the vagaries of climate. The strategy would be to develop a sustainable farmers' participatory seed production system for FSF, and promote improved agronomic management practices, such as seed priming, soil-test-based balanced fertilizer that includes micro-and secondary nutrients, biofertilizer, and integrated crop management for better crop establishment in paddy fallow. Experimental research and farmers'participatory demonstrations made in the northern states of India (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa) by ICRISAT have shown that short-duration pulses, such as chickpea and blackgram, are suitable for cultivation in paddy fallow and can achieve average yields from 700-850 kg per hectare, provided that suitable varieties and technologies including mechanization for crop establishment are made available.