Floods & drought have left country’s agri ecosystem in a spin. Scientists, farmers and governments are a worried lot

The Kashmir fury has scared many. After Uttarakhand disaster last year, the Kashmir floods have caused considerable anxiety among people, governments and scientists, who are trying to comprehend the implications of such natural calamities. The Kashmir floods have come at a time, when curiously, many parts of the country are confronted with the spectre of droughts.

It is both perplexing, and worrying. This is especially so for the agriculture sector, which get highly impacted by such variations and fluctuations.

Haryana farmers, who till sometime ago were struggling to cope with droughts, have been flooded with rains posing danger to paddy, cotton and maize crops. Punjab cotton farmers faced the fury of flooded as well and as per reports, an estimated 10,000 acres of cotton crops are drowned. Paddy crops too have been affected due to rains and excess moisture has caused problems in maize crops.

Uttar Pradesh is too staring at difficulties as little rains and lack of irrigation support to small farmers have caused them considerable strain. West Bengal’s agriculture minister recently announced that Bankura, Purulia and East Midnapore districts have been affected by heavy rains. The government has put together a Rs 12.4 cr rehab plan for East Midnapore and Rs 18 cr for Bankura and Purulia farmers.  In Odisha, there were reports of erratic monsoon and floods playing havoc on 23 districts. The state has received 10% excess rains while floods in August first week reportedly affected 36.7 lakh hectare crops.

In Bihar too the mix of flood and drought are causing concerns. As per reports, the rain deficit has narrowed in August, from 34% in July-end to just 15% a month later. However, despite floods in some northern districts, the state expects a reasonably good kharif crop. Agriculture officials say paddy transplantation is over on 31.5 lakh hectares against a target of 34 lakh hectares - about 94% of the target. The north Bihar floods are expected to partially damage maize and paddy. Oilseeds and pulses have lagged with sowing taking place in 35% and 47% of the target.

In fact, Union Agriculture Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh on September 10 said that due to delayed rains sowing of oilseeds has registered a decrease of 20 lakh hectare as compared to last year.

Overall, the rainfall deficit so far has ranged between 3% and 14% in the southern, eastern and central parts of the country, while in the north and northwest the shortfall was 20%.

In Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh, the seasonal deficit was maximum at 54%, followed by 48% in Punjab. The Marathwada region had a seasonal deficit of 34% and Telangana 31%. Data from the met department showed that 69% of the country with 24 out of 36 subdivisions has received excess and normal rainfall this season.

 Monsoon rain is vital for the country as 55% cent of the arable land depends entirely on rain for irrigation. While agriculture accounts for only about 15% of the economy, the monsoon has a wider impact because it affects millions of people in villages, and weak rainfall can raise food prices. Floods, which can wipe away millions of hectares in one go, can have similar effects on food prices.

While no one can fight the might of the nature, we can surely expect our scientists to give us more accurate predictions, and governments to equip farmers to cope with such calamities and uncertainties.

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