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Introduction

Drought, resulting from irregular precipitation and a lack of rain, is classified by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) based on the deviation from the long-term average rainfall. Regions with up to a 26% rainfall deficit are considered drought-affected. This is further categorised into moderate (26-50% deficit) and severe (over 50% deficit) drought.

Drought assessment in India relies on area-weighted rainfall, known as the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR), with a national average of 88 cm. A nationwide drought is declared when the affected area exceeds 20% of the country's plains (32,87,782 km2) with a rainfall deficit of over 10%.

The South West Monsoon Period (June-September), accounting for most of India's annual precipitation, plays a crucial role in drought occurrences due to its irregular nature, featuring prolonged dry spells and high temperatures.

To address drought, state governments issue declarations based on factors like crop conditions and rainfall patterns in their regions.

Types of Droughts 

Based on duration

• Permanent drought - This is typical of the desert climate, where limited flora is growing in a drought-resistant manner and agriculture can only be done by irrigation over the full crop season.
• Seasonal drought - This occurs in regions with different dry and rainy seasons. This category includes the majority of the arid and semiarid regions. Crop duration and planting times should be chosen so that the growing season coincides with the wet season.
• Contingent drought - This involves an unusual rainfall failure. It could happen practically anywhere especially in the majority of areas with humid or moderately humid weather. Typically, it is short, erratic, and often only impacts a small area.
• Invisible drought - Even in areas where it rains frequently, this is still possible. The outcome is a borderline water shortage in the soil, which yields less than the ideal amount of produce when rainfall is insufficient to cover evapotranspiration losses. In humid areas, this commonly happens.

 Based on nature 

• Meteorological drought - It is described as a situation where yearly precipitation is below average over a region for an extended length of time (month, season, or year).
• Atmospheric drought - Low air humidity and scorching, dry winds are to blame for this. Even when there is enough soil moisture available, it may still happen. It alludes to a problem. when transpiration briefly outpaces absorption for a brief period, causing plants to wilt during the warmer part of the day. Plants recover from midday wilt when absorption maintains up with transpiration.
• Hydrological drought - Long-term meteorological drought causes hydrological drought, which causes reservoirs, tanks, and other structures to dry out as a result of the loss of surface water. All industries that depend on water suffer from a lack of it as a result. Based on how water balance affects irrigation as a whole for maturing crops, this is done.
• Agricultural drought - It is the outcome of soil moisture stress brought on by an imbalance between the amount of soil moisture that is accessible and a crop's evapotranspiration. A steady and progressive process is typical. Therefore, plants can adapt to the increased stress caused by soil wetness, at least in part. This problem results from insufficient precipitation or its uneven distribution over time and space. Typically, it is also referred to as a soil drought.

What factors are responsible for drought?

Natural factors

• Unpredictable Monsoon - The South-West monsoon, which is responsible for the majority of India's yearly rainfall, can be unpredictable. Long periods of reduced rainfall and dry conditions can result from the monsoons failing, which is frequently caused by events like El Nio.
• As a result of the skewed monsoon distribution, some areas, like the leeward side of the Western Ghats, have less rainfall. Due to this persistent inequality in distribution, some places may be more vulnerable to drought.
• Surface and subterranean water resources may be exhausted in regions with little annual rainfall. Water scarcity results from inadequate rainfall's failure to replenish these supplies.

Socio-Economic factors

• As the population grows, so does the need for water. This may put a burden on already-scarce water supplies, particularly in dry places.
• Rapid urbanisation may increase the need for water for commercial, residential, and industrial uses, further taxing water supplies.
• When rainfall is low, insufficient infrastructure for storing and distributing water, as well as ineffective water management practices, can lead to a water shortage.

Human-based factors

• Using too much water in agriculture, especially when growing crops that require a lot of water, can deplete the local water supply. Water scarcity might get worse if bad water management practices are used.
• These practices, along with the encroachment of wetlands, lessen the land's capacity to hold water naturally. The ecosystem's ability to retain water is greatly aided by trees and wetlands.
• Human actions, such as the release of greenhouse gases, have an impact on the alterations in climate patterns and global warming. This may cause changes in monsoon patterns and aggravate the drought.

Drought in the context of India

Drought Prone Areas 

Approximately 68% of India is at risk of drought to varying degrees. While 33% of the country is deemed chronically drought prone, 35% of the country receives rainfall between 750 mm and 1125 mm annually.

According to the likelihood of a drought occurring, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) divides India's drought-prone regions into three categories, as shown below:

1. Areas impacted by a persistent drought:

• Chronically drought-prone regions are those where the likelihood of a drought exceeds 20%.
• In other words, these areas should prepare for at least one drought every five or four years.
  
  
  
  
• West Rajasthan and the entire State of Gujarat are the two primary regions in India that are frequently affected by drought.

2. Frequently prone to drought regions:

• This category has been given to regions with a 10% to 20% chance of experiencing a drought.
• East Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, east Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada, Vidarbha, Telangana, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Rayalaseema are among the regions that can anticipate drought every six to ten years.
• These regions often fall under the dry and moist sub-humid climate zones.

3. Areas least affected by the drought

• The remainder of the country is made up of regions with a drought probability of less than 10%.
• As they generally come under the per-humid and humid regions climate zones, it seems as though they don't provide any issues in terms of rainfall. 
• Example - Areas of northeastern India, Assam , Meghalaya, etc.

Impact of Drought

• Droughts are expected to affect over three-quarters of the world's population by 2050, with an estimated 4.8-5.7 billion people living in water-scarce areas for at least one month each year. 
• By 2030, drought will displace 700 million people worldwide. 
• Drought has killed over 10 million people over the last century, 90% of which have occurred in developing countries. 
• Droughts have also impacted fauna, causing the death or displacement of three billion animals and threatening 84% of terrestrial ecosystems. 

Drought in Numbers 2022 Report 

The 15th Conference of Parties (CoP15) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) said the following:

• Since 1997, the area of India that is vulnerable to drought has increased by 57%. Roughly two-thirds of the country experienced drought between 2020 and 2022.
• Each year, 50 million people are affected by drought, which has affected one-third of India's districts during the past ten years.
• The vulnerability of India to drought is equivalent to that of Sub-Saharan Africa.
• ISRO assessment Nearly 30% of the country's land was degraded in 2018–19, according to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India, published in 2021 by the Space Applications Centre of ISRO.
• A recent research in Nature Communications claims that India is a hotspot for flash droughts, which might have significant effects on the nation's grain production.
•  Both a multi-week period of rapid escalation towards dryness and a brief yet severe incident where soil moisture totally evaporates have been used to characterise flash droughts. It can also be described as a drought event that is developing quickly.

Measures to be taken to fight against drought

• Timely payment and proper implementation of MGNREGA wage days.
• Setting up drinking water tankers for essential needs.
• Support for healthcare in affected areas. ORS is a type of hydration solution.
• Implementing PDS supplies correctly.
• Encourage the use of NGOs and other local organisations to help control the situation.
• Insurance against crop loss to protect cultivators.
• Moving animals to places with abundant forage.
• Correctly carrying out the National Food Security Act.
• Wise use of available water resources.
• Building barrages and dams

Initiatives taken the Government

• The Drought Prone Areas Programme (DPAP) and Desert Development Programme (DDP) were launched in the 1970s to develop drought-prone areas. 
• DDP focuses on restoring desert ecology through sustainable practices. In response to the 1987 drought, the government shifted to long-term solutions, including watershed development, to conserve rainwater, improve soil fertility, and enhance ecosystem health. 
• The National Watershed Development Programme for Rain-fed Areas and Watershed Development Programme for Shifting Cultivation also aim to address these challenges.

Drought mitigation measures

Here are the highlighted important points from the provided text regarding drought adaptation and mitigation measures for dryland farming in India:

• Water and Soil Health Conservation: Drought adaptation and mitigation measures focus on conserving water and soil health in dryland farming.
• Improved Cropping Practices: Techniques like ridge farming tillage, no tillage, and stubble mulch farming are more effective than conventional tillage in enhancing crop yields, conserving moisture, and reversing land degradation.
• Water-Saving Technologies: Many farmers still lack water-saving technologies and rely on flood irrigation, which reduces water productivity. Modern micro-irrigation methods like sprinkler and drip irrigation face barriers such as high initial investment costs, availability of irrigation water, and power supply constraints.
• Crop Diversification: Adaptation options include cultivating less water-intensive and drought-tolerant crops as well as intercropping.
• Administrative Mitigation Measures: Government measures like water supply, fodder distribution, employment opportunities, agricultural loans, crop insurance schemes, and waived electricity bills are crucial in addressing drought impacts and reducing farmer suicides.

These measures collectively contribute to enhancing the resilience of dryland farming in the face of drought challenges.

Way Forward

Water shortage in Maharashtra State is a significant issue, with drought years exacerbated by drought. To address this, modern rainwater harvesting technologies and groundwater recharge should be promoted, as well as the development of detailed crop and rainwater management plans for rain-fed regions. The use of organic manure in agriculture can improve soil properties, leading to better crop growth and yield. Conservation agriculture and the use of organic manures should be promoted to combat drought. Improved agricultural practices for major crops should be adopted, considering weather-sensitive crop stages and farm operations. On-farm reservoir systems and improved methods for forecasting dry and wet spells during crop growth should be developed. Improved drought monitoring and early warning systems are essential, and lessons from developed countries like the United States and Australia should be learned. Knowledge dissemination of agricultural adaptation practices should be done through village meetings and field demonstrations. The Indian Agriculture Ministry's crisis management plan emphasises that drought is a management issue, and a more proactive approach is needed to mitigate its impacts on the community.