A study suggests that replacing 40% of rice cultivation with other crops in north India could help recover 60-100 cubic kilometres of groundwater lost since 2000. The research, accepted for publication in PNAS Nexus, finds that this could be particularly beneficial for states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. The study also indicates that this change could boost farmers' profits. The researchers used data and models to estimate the impact of crop switching on groundwater usage and farmers' profits, finding that significant savings and profit increases could be achieved.