Newly appointed Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Vice-Chancellor Dr Harvinder Singh Dhaliwal has called for urgent agricultural diversification in the state, saying the it can no longer remain dependent on the wheat-paddy cycle. He stressed the need to promote horticulture, oilseeds and pulses to conserve groundwater, improve farm incomes and make agriculture more sustainable.Dr Dhaliwal said state’s priority during the Green Revolution was to ensure the country’s food security, a challenge it successfully met through record wheat and paddy production. However, with other states now producing these crops, state must reorient its agricultural system towards crops that consume less water and offer better economic returns.He said PAU was developing crop varieties requiring less water and suitable for cultivation during the rainy season. The university is also promoting horticulture, oilseeds, pulses, organic agriculture and sustainable farming practices. India imports nearly 55-56 per cent of its edible oil requirements, he noted, highlighting the potential for expanding domestic oilseed cultivation.Dr Dhaliwal identified groundwater depletion as one of state’s biggest agricultural challenges. Of the state’s nearly 41 lakh hectares of cultivated land, around 31-32 lakh hectares are under paddy. He added that sugarcane and spring maize also consume substantial water, while industrial consumption must be considered in discussions on groundwater depletion. Rainwater harvesting, he said, could help recharge groundwater and stabilise the falling water table.An expert in horticulture, Dr Dhaliwal said fruits and vegetables could reshape state’s agricultural future. Small farmers with one to two hectares could benefit from vegetable cultivation, while those owning more than 10 hectares could consider fruit orchards. He said rising cultivation costs and shrinking profit margins were making traditional paddy-based farming increasingly less remunerative.On climate change, he said PAU was developing climate-resilient crop varieties to withstand changing weather conditions and minimise the adverse impact of climate variability on agricultural production.