welcome

DROUGHT - MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

DROUGHTTemporary reduction in water or moisture

availability significantly below the normal

or expected amount for a specific period.

It is widely recognized as a slow creeping

natural hazard that occurs due to the natural

climatic variability.

Success of drought management depends

on one’s ability first to predict and then to

control.

THE STRATEGY FOR DROUGHT MANAGEMENT IS AS FOLLOWS:

• To develop an advance warning system.

• Providing relief measures immediately to the affected

population.

• Coming with an alternative crop strategy

EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS

• Provide accurate, timely and integrated information on drought

conditions at the level of regions, states and districts.

• Weekly data from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

• When drought is detected early it allows for activation of the

drought management plan and evokes both proactive (mitigation)

and reactive (emergency) responses.

• Drought resistant plants are those varieties that are able to grow

and yield satisfactorily in areas liable to periodic drought

(Hounam et al. 1975).

Adjusting the plant population: The plant population should be lesser

in dryland conditions than under irrigated conditions. The rectangular

type of planting pattern should always be followed under dryland

conditions.

Under limited moisture supply the adjustment of plant population can

be done by

a) Increasing the inter row distance

b) Increasing the intra row distance

Mid season corrections:

• Thinning

• Spraying : 2 per cent urea at week to 10 days interval

• Ratooning : In crops like sorghum and bajra, ratooning can be

practiced as mid season correction measure after break of dry spell.

Mulching

• Soil or dust mulch

• Straw and stubble mulch

• Plastic mulch

• Pebble mulch

• Vertical mulching

Straw mulchPebble mulch

Plastic mulch Vertical mulch

Weed control

Water harvesting and life saving irrigation

• Rain water harvesting: Arid regions Traditional water harvesting systems Tanka,Nadi,Khadin

Semi arid regions Dug wells Tanks Farm ponds

Farm Pond Lined with Kadapa Slabs

Farm Pond lined with Cement Bricks Farm Pond Lined with Fire Bricks

Improved Agronomic Practices

» Quality seeds, use of chemical fertilizer and pesticide

recommendations to increase production.

» To retain precipitation insitu and minimise the runoff.

» To use drought tolerant crops that fit in the rainfall pattern.

» To use integrated water-shed approach for maximizing rain water use.» “one has to plan for drought management, before planting the

crops even if the forecast is for a good year”

13Weed mulching in maize conserve moisture and mitigate the drought

Public health measures

People should be accustomed to live on rationed water.

Ensure supply of good drinking water in rural areas for

human and livestock in drought affected areas.

Immunisation and Surveillance of public health

measures be taken.

Rainwater harvesting for both the drinking and

cropping purposes.

Cattle care:

Cattle camps on village basis can be opened to take complete care of cattle population.

Assessment of fodder requirement on district basis in affected area and import fodder from outside.

State Forest Department to arrange for cutting of grass in the forest.

Fodder cultivation to be encouraged.

Implementation of crop and livestock insurance schemes.

Indigeneous practices followed by farmers to store forage

Mix feeding of green and dry fodder during scarcity

Drinking and irrigation water

Continuous monitoring of rural and urban water availability in

drought affected area.

Preparing a water budget for each irrigation reservoir.

Undertake repairs of tube-wells needing repairs. Prevent over

exploitation and damage to ground water regime.

Regulating supply to water intensive industries, if necessary.

Minimizing evaporation losses in tanks and small reservoirs.

Alternative crop strategy

» If IMD predicts less rainfall, alternative crop strategy is

implemented by providing extra power, getting seeds for

alternative crops and fertilizers.

» The farmers are informed and advised for alternative crop.

» Seeds and fertilizers are given on subsidized rates by the

government.

Government Action to Combat Drought

The commonly adopted drought mitigation strategies (Sahni 2003) in India include:

• Construction of check dams

• Cattle management

• Proper selection of crop for drought affected areas

• Levelling, soil conservation techniques

• Reducing deforestation and fire wood cutting in the affected areas

• Checking of migration and providing alternate employment for

people in government sponsored relief schemes

• Education and training to the people

Ralegan, before drought mitigation efforts

Ralegan, after drought mitigation efforts

CONCLUSION DROUGHT A MANAGEMENT ISSUE

Drought can be mitigated

Hardships can be minimised

Alternate crop strategy

If we at all levels work together

Drought is not a Disaster but

a Management Issue

Thank

you

R Reddi ManojaTAM/13-06Dept. of Agronomy