Improving water productivity in moisture-limited rice-based cropping systems through incorporation of maize and mungbean: A modelling approach

•APSIM-maize and APSIM-mungbean estimated the maize and mungbean yields with a strong fit.•Water productivity (kgha−1mm−1) was the highest for mungbean>maize>rice.•3rd season mungbean crop has less risk when the previous season monsoon rain was good.•Soil moisture loss through evapotranspiration; fallow site=3rd season mungbean crop.