Drought Disaster Management
Drought is a slow-onset disaster caused by prolonged deficiency of rainfall, leading to shortage of water for drinking, agriculture, livestock, ecosystems and livelihoods.
Unlike floods or cyclones, drought develops gradually, but its impact can be widespread and long-lasting. It affects agriculture, food security, rural employment, groundwater, livestock, health and migration.
India is highly vulnerable to drought because of its dependence on monsoon rainfall, rainfed agriculture, groundwater stress, uneven water distribution and climate variability.
According to India Meteorological Department, meteorological drought over an area is defined as a situation when the seasonal rainfall received over the area is less than 75% of its long term average value. It is further classified as “moderate drought” if the rainfall deficit is between 26-50% and “severe drought” when the deficit exceeds 50% of the normal.
Types
Meteorological Drought
- Meteorological drought is the simple absence/deficit of rainfall from the normal. It is the least severe form of drought and is often identified by sunny days and hot weather.
Hydrological Drought:
- Hydrological Drought can be defined as a period during which the stream flows are inadequate to supply established use of water under a given water management system.
- Hydrological drought often leads to reduction of natural stream flows or ground water levels, plus stored water supplies.
Agricultural Drought
- It occurs when available soil moisture is inadequate for healthy crop growth and causes extreme stress and wilting.
Socio-economic Drought
- Abnormal water shortage affects all aspects of the established economy of a region. This in turn adversely affects the social fabric of the society creating unemployment, migration, discontent and various other problems in the society.
- Thus, meteorological, hydrological and agricultural drought often leads to what is termed as Socio-economic drought
Causes of Drought
- Deficient Monsoon Rainfall
- India receives a large part of its rainfall from the southwest monsoon.
- Failure or weakening of monsoon rainfall can cause drought over large areas.
- Uneven Distribution of Rainfall
- Even when total rainfall is normal, poor spatial and temporal distribution may create drought-like conditions.
- Some regions may receive excess rainfall while others face long dry spells.
- Delayed Onset or Early Withdrawal of Monsoon
- Delayed monsoon affects sowing of kharif crops.
- Early withdrawal reduces soil moisture and affects crop maturity.
- Both conditions increase agricultural drought risk.
- Long Dry Spells
- Continuous gaps between rainfall events during the crop season can create moisture stress.
- This is especially harmful during sowing, flowering and grain-filling stages.
- El Nino and Climate Variability
- El Nino conditions may weaken the Indian monsoon and increase the possibility of drought.
- Climate variability also makes rainfall more uncertain and irregular.
- Climate Change
- Climate change is increasing rainfall variability, heat stress, evaporation and frequency of extreme weather events.
- It may increase the intensity and duration of droughts in some regions.
- Poor Water Management
- Inefficient irrigation, leakage in canals, poor maintenance of tanks, lack of rainwater harvesting and wastage of water increase drought vulnerability.
- Deforestation and Land Degradation
- Loss of vegetation reduces water retention capacity of soil.
- Land degradation increases runoff and reduces groundwater recharge.
- Cropping Pattern Issues
- Cultivation of water-intensive crops in water-scarce regions increases drought risk.
- Examples include sugarcane and paddy in areas with limited water availability.
- Groundwater overexploitation
- India extracts 25% of global groundwater; water table falling critically in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
Impact
- Agricultural Impact
- Drought reduces soil moisture and affects crop growth.
- It may lead to delayed sowing, crop failure, decline in yield and loss of seeds, fertilisers and farm investment.
- Rainfed crops such as millets, pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals are especially vulnerable.
- Livestock Impact
- Drought causes shortage of fodder and drinking water for animals.
- Livestock health declines due to poor nutrition and water stress.
- Distress sale of cattle may occur when farmers cannot maintain them.
- Drinking Water Scarcity
- Drought reduces availability of drinking water in wells, hand pumps, tanks, reservoirs and groundwater sources.
- Women and children may have to travel longer distances to collect water.
- Economic Impact
- Drought reduces agricultural income, rural wages, demand for goods and overall economic activity.
- Farmers may face debt, distress sale of assets and reduced purchasing power.
- Government expenditure increases on relief, drinking water supply, employment support and fodder camps.
- Food Security Impact
- Crop failure and reduced production may affect food availability and food prices.
- Poor households are more affected because they spend a higher share of income on food.
- Employment and Migration
- Drought reduces agricultural employment and rural income.
- This may force people to migrate to towns and cities in search of work.
- Seasonal migration increases pressure on urban areas and affects family and education.
- Health Impact
- Drought can cause malnutrition, dehydration, heat stress, water-borne diseases due to poor water quality and mental stress among farmers.
- Food insecurity and lack of clean water worsen health outcomes.
- Social Impact
- Drought increases hardship for poor households, small farmers, landless labourers, women, children and elderly persons.
- It may lead to school dropout, distress migration, indebtedness and social tension over water resources.
- Environmental Impact
- Drought causes drying of wetlands, decline in groundwater, forest degradation, loss of biodiversity, soil erosion and desertification.
- It also increases the risk of forest fires.
- Impact on Industries and Energy
- Industries depending on water may face production disruption.
- Hydropower generation may decline due to low reservoir levels.
- Thermal power plants may also face cooling-water shortages.
Drought Risk Reduction Measures
- Water Conservation Measures
- Water conservation is the most important drought risk reduction strategy.
- It includes rainwater harvesting, farm ponds, check dams, percolation tanks, contour bunding, recharge wells, watershed structures and revival of traditional water bodies.
- These measures help store rainwater, reduce runoff, recharge groundwater and improve water availability during dry periods.
- Watershed Development
- Watershed development reduces drought vulnerability by conserving soil and water within a natural drainage area.
- It includes afforestation, contour trenches, field bunding, gully plugging, check dams, pasture development and soil moisture conservation.
- It helps reduce runoff, increase groundwater recharge, improve soil fertility and support dryland farming.
- Groundwater Recharge and Regulation
- Groundwater is a major drought buffer in India, but over-extraction weakens drought resilience.
- Risk reduction requires recharge of aquifers through recharge wells, percolation tanks, check dams, ponds and protection of recharge zones.
- At the same time, groundwater extraction should be regulated through water budgeting, community-based aquifer management and crop planning based on local water availability.
- Efficient Irrigation
- Efficient irrigation reduces wastage of scarce water.
- Drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, micro-irrigation, canal lining, precision irrigation and proper irrigation scheduling should be promoted.
- The aim should be to produce more crop with less water.
- Drought-Resilient Cropping Pattern
- Cropping patterns should match local rainfall and water availability.
- Water-intensive crops should be discouraged in dry regions.
- Millets, pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, drought-resistant varieties, short-duration crops and climate-resilient seeds should be promoted.
- This reduces crop failure during rainfall deficiency.
- Contingency Crop Planning
- Contingency crop plans help farmers respond to delayed monsoon, long dry spells or early withdrawal of rainfall.
- Such plans may suggest alternative crops, short-duration varieties, staggered sowing, seed replacement, protective irrigation and fodder crops.
- This reduces agricultural losses during drought years.
- Soil Moisture Conservation
- Soil moisture conservation helps crops survive during dry spells.
- Important measures include mulching, zero tillage, organic manure application, cover cropping, field bunding, contour farming and conservation agriculture.
- These practices reduce evaporation, improve water retention and protect soil health.
- Revival of Traditional Water Bodies
- Traditional water systems such as tanks, ponds, johads, baolis, ahars, pynes and stepwells should be revived.
- They provide decentralised water storage and support drinking water, livestock and irrigation needs during drought.
- They also improve community ownership of water resources.
- Drinking Water Security
- Drought risk reduction requires assured drinking water supply.
- This includes protection of local water sources, repair of hand pumps, piped water supply, rainwater harvesting, village-level water storage, groundwater recharge and water quality monitoring.
- Water supply plans should be prepared before drought becomes severe.
- Livestock and Fodder Security
- Drought affects animals through shortage of fodder and drinking water.
- Risk reduction measures include fodder banks, pasture development, drought-resistant fodder crops, silage storage, cattle camps, veterinary support and drinking water points for livestock.
- Protecting livestock is important because it is a major livelihood asset for rural households.
- Livelihood Diversification
- Dependence only on rainfed farming increases drought vulnerability.
- Livelihood diversification through animal husbandry, agro-processing, horticulture, small enterprises, skill development, rural employment and non-farm activities reduces income risk.
- This helps households survive even when crops fail.
- Early Warning and Drought Monitoring
- Drought should be monitored through rainfall data, soil moisture, reservoir levels, groundwater levels, crop condition, vegetation indices and satellite imagery.
- Early warning helps in timely crop advisories, water rationing, fodder planning, employment support and relief preparedness.
- Climate-Resilient Agriculture
- Agriculture should be adapted to increasing climate variability.
- This includes drought-tolerant seeds, climate advisories, agroforestry, mixed cropping, intercropping, crop diversification, soil health improvement and water-efficient farming.
- This reduces the long-term impact of drought on farmers.
- Community-Based Water Management
- Local communities should be involved in water budgeting and drought planning.
- Villages should estimate available water, prioritise drinking water, regulate groundwater use and plan cropping according to water availability.
- Community participation improves discipline and sustainability in water use.
- Insurance and Financial Protection
- Crop insurance, livestock insurance, credit support, emergency loans, loan restructuring and direct income support can reduce distress after crop loss.
- Financial protection prevents distress sale of assets and helps farmers recover faster.
- Strengthening Social Safety Nets
- During drought, poor households need income and food security.
- MGNREGA(now-Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin), Public Distribution System, nutrition schemes, mid-day meals, anganwadi services and direct benefit transfers should be strengthened.
- MGNREGA(Now Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin ) works can also be linked to drought-proofing activities such as pond restoration, check dams, soil conservation and watershed development.
- Land and Ecosystem Management
- Healthy ecosystems reduce drought risk.
- Afforestation, pasture development, wetland conservation, soil conservation, prevention of land degradation and protection of catchment areas improve water retention.
- This also reduces desertification and ecological drought.
- Institutional Preparedness
- Drought-prone districts should have drought management plans before the onset of monsoon.
- These plans should include water availability assessment, vulnerable village mapping, drinking water arrangements, fodder planning, crop advisories, employment measures, health preparedness and relief mechanisms.
- Use of Technology
- Technology can improve drought risk reduction through GIS mapping, remote sensing, satellite-based vegetation monitoring, mobile advisories, automatic weather stations, groundwater monitoring and real-time dashboards.
- This helps in timely decision-making and targeted support.
Challenges in Drought Management in India
- Overdependence on Monsoon
- A large part of India’s agriculture and rural economy still depends on monsoon rainfall.
- When monsoon is delayed, weak or unevenly distributed, it directly affects sowing, crop growth, groundwater recharge, drinking water supply and rural livelihoods.
- Rainfed Agriculture Vulnerability
- Many drought-prone regions depend on rainfed farming with limited irrigation support.
- Farmers in these regions are more vulnerable to rainfall failure, long dry spells and soil moisture stress.
- Excessive Groundwater Extraction
- Groundwater is treated as the main drought buffer, but over-extraction has reduced its availability in many regions.
- In drought years, already depleted aquifers fail to support agriculture, drinking water and livestock needs.
- Water-Intensive Cropping Patterns
- Water-intensive crops are often grown in water-scarce regions due to assured procurement, market demand, subsidies and local cropping habits.
- This worsens water stress and reduces long-term drought resilience.
- Poor Local Water Governance
- Water management is often fragmented among different departments.
- There is limited practice of village-level water budgeting, aquifer-based planning and community regulation of groundwater use.
- Weak Maintenance of Water Bodies
- Traditional water bodies such as tanks, ponds, johads, baolis, ahars, pynes and stepwells are often encroached, polluted, silted or poorly maintained.
- This reduces local water storage and weakens drought coping capacity.
- Delayed Drought Declaration
- Drought declaration is sometimes delayed due to administrative, political or data-related issues.
- This delays relief measures, crop loss compensation, drinking water support, fodder supply, employment support and credit relief.
- Inadequate Drought Monitoring
- Drought is often assessed mainly through rainfall deficiency.
- However, effective drought assessment requires rainfall data, soil moisture status, groundwater levels, reservoir storage, crop condition, fodder availability, vegetation health and livelihood distress.
- Weak Last-Mile Advisory
- Weather forecasts and crop advisories do not always reach farmers in time.
- Even when advisories are issued, they may not be localised, understandable or linked with actual support such as seeds, irrigation, credit or fodder.
- Limited Irrigation Efficiency
- Irrigation water is often wasted due to flood irrigation, canal leakage, poor scheduling and lack of micro-irrigation.
- Low irrigation efficiency increases pressure on both surface water and groundwater.
- Inadequate Fodder and Livestock Planning
- Drought affects livestock severely through shortage of fodder and drinking water.
- Many drought-prone areas lack advance fodder banks, pasture development, cattle camps, veterinary support and drinking water points for animals.
- Socio-Economic Vulnerability
- Small farmers, tenant farmers, landless labourers, pastoralists, women, elderly persons and poor households face higher drought vulnerability.
- They often lack savings, insurance, alternative livelihoods and access to timely institutional credit.
- Weak Crop Insurance Coverage and Settlement
- Crop insurance can reduce drought distress, but problems remain in awareness, enrollment, claim settlement, assessment of crop loss and timely payment.
- Delayed compensation reduces its usefulness for farmers.
- Climate Change
- Climate change is increasing rainfall variability, heat stress, evaporation, dry spells and extreme weather events.
- This makes drought more frequent, complex and difficult to manage through traditional planning.
- Relief-Centric Approach
- Drought management still often becomes active after drought conditions become severe.
- Greater attention is needed on pre-disaster drought-proofing, water conservation, resilient agriculture and livelihood diversification.
NDMA Guidelines
- Separate Drought Monitoring Cells (DMCs) shall be created at the state level with adequate staff under the control of State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA’s).
- State DMCs shall undertake on a priority basis, the preparation of vulnerability maps for their respective States.
- Assessment and Early Warning
- Efforts shall be made to integrate the ground based information with the space-based information for comprehensive reporting. The role of all departments engaged in drought management shall be clearly spelt out.
- Alternative methods of quicker assessment of crop yield need to be evolved so as to mitigate the impact of drought in time. Also, the unit of deceleration of drought should be standardized.
- Automatic weather stations and rain-gauges shall be put in place at appropriate spacing to enable micro level analysis and forecasting.
- Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation
- The services of Village Resources Centres being established by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), ICAR, State Agricultural Universities and other Organizations, will be effectively used towards management of droughts.
- Large scale research will be conducted through the university system to evolve drought resistant crop varieties.
- The mitigation measures to be taken will include:
- Conduct of pilot studies in all categories of drought prone areas for suggesting long term mitigation measures,
- Convergence of lessons learnt from studies carried out by CRIDA, International Crop Research for Semiarid Tropics (ICRISAT), IMD, NRSC, ICAR, and other institutes ,
- Cloud-seeding as a possible measure of mitigation will be considered ,
- Measures for reducing the impact of climate change on drought.
- The State Department of Agriculture and Agricultural Universities will therefore:
- promote cultivation of crops under crop diversification through sprinklers/drip irrigation systems;
- promote protective irrigation through micro irrigation systems through incentives; and
- advise on the cropping systems to be covered under protective irrigation through appropriate micro irrigation systems.
- There is a need to ensure their timely availability of inputs with competitive prices so as to increase production and productivity and thereby enable agriculture to be the springboard for industrialization. . Arrangements will be made through institutional agencies in the States like State Seeds Development Corporations (SDC), Marketing Federations (MARKFED), and Cooperative Oil Federations (OILFED).
- Credit will be provided promptly in the drought affected areas, and marketing and price support extended.
- Insurance products shall be developed for different agro-climatic zones providing coverage against drought.
- Capacity Development
- A realistic national training and capacity building programme for drought management will be formulated and implemented. A programme of resource enhancement encompassing all institutions/ organizations/ individuals will also be developed.
- Agricultural universities and National Research Centres of ICAR will be encouraged to undertake contractual research for industries/farmers as a means of revenue generation and providing solutions to immediate problems
- Efforts will be made to fill the gap between the requirement and availability of qualified and experienced trainers conversant with natural hazards, especially with drought mitigation and management techniques.
- ICAR will update the syllabi of graduate and under-graduate courses in agriculture to include drought management.
- UGC will encourage universities under their new and innovative educational programmes for setting up Centres for Disaster Management to foster research in disaster management.
- Drought mitigation aspects will be disseminated through the PRIs and local bodies which are ideally suited for Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) initiatives in the States at different levels.
- As far as the empowerment of local bodies is concerned, efforts will be made to strengthen them through regular financing.
- CBDM activities will be included in the plans prepared at the district, mandal and village levels
- Relief And Response
- The DAC(Department of Agriculture & Cooperation ) , State DMCs(Drought Monitoring Cell ), State Governments/SDMAs(State Disaster Management Authority ) will:
- Prepare a contingency plan in case of late on set of monsoon / dry spells during the season with appropriate cropping pattern;
- Arrange availability of seeds with short duration varieties on subsidy;
- Stock quality seeds, well in advance for immediate distribution;
- Create awareness among the farmers on management practices like intercropping, mulching, weed control, intercultural operations;
- Provision of consumption loan will also be encouraged in drought prone areas and efforts will be made to bring agricultural labour into the net of social security.
- To improve access to financial services, provision of support to local micro-finance institutions will be encouraged by central/state.
- Cattle Health Care
- Vaccines for various diseases and essential medicines will be procured as required. Fodder, Cattle feed and mineral mixture will be supplied to all productive animals to prevent distress sales of cattle
- Ensuring Availability of Quality Fodder
- Assessment of need for fodder will be done well in advance. If a deficit is identified, ways and means to fill the gap will be explored including supplies from the nearest area, within the mandal, within the District, or in the nearby State.
- Raising of fodder in Government as well as farmers’ lands with buy back arrangements for fodder cultivated will be promoted
- Use of tank bunds for fodder cultivation.
- Utilizing the period between crops for fodder cultivation.
- Distribution of fodder produced within a State in nearby areas
- Establishment of fodder banks.
- Conserving fish and aqua culture during droughts.
- Utilizing the assistance of Ministry of Railways in transport of fodder and drinking water from unaffected areas to those affected.
- Organizing online availability of information relating to demand and supply of fodder
- Undertaking market intervention to keep the prices reasonable.
- Intensification of water conservation measures in the villages
Way Forward
- Shift from Drought Relief to Drought Proofing
- India should move from temporary relief to long-term drought risk reduction.
- The focus should be on water conservation, watershed development, groundwater recharge, soil moisture protection, resilient agriculture and livelihood security.
- Strengthen Drought Monitoring and Early Warning
- Drought assessment should use multiple indicators, including rainfall, soil moisture, reservoir levels, groundwater levels, crop condition, vegetation index, fodder availability and drinking water status.
- Satellite imagery, remote sensing, GIS, automatic weather stations and real-time dashboards should be used for timely monitoring.
- Promote Water Conservation
- Rainwater harvesting, farm ponds, check dams, percolation tanks, recharge wells, contour bunding, field bunding and revival of traditional water bodies should be expanded.
- These measures help store rainwater, reduce runoff and recharge groundwater.
- Strengthen Watershed Development
- Watershed development should be made central to drought-prone area planning.
- Afforestation, pasture development, contour trenches, gully plugging, soil conservation, check dams and drainage-line treatment can improve soil moisture, groundwater recharge and agricultural productivity.
- Regulate Groundwater Use
- Groundwater use should be linked with recharge capacity.
- Community-based aquifer management, water budgeting, recharge-zone protection, groundwater monitoring and crop planning based on water availability should be promoted.
- Promote Water-Efficient Irrigation
- Drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, micro-irrigation, canal lining, precision farming and better irrigation scheduling should be encouraged.
- The aim should be to ensure “more crop per drop”.
- Align Cropping Pattern with Agro-Climatic Conditions
- Water-intensive crops should be discouraged in dry and semi-arid regions.
- Millets, pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, drought-resistant varieties, short-duration crops and mixed cropping should be promoted.
- Strengthen Contingency Crop Planning
- Farmers should receive timely advisories for delayed monsoon, long dry spells and early withdrawal.
- Contingency plans should include alternative crops, short-duration varieties, staggered sowing, protective irrigation, seed banks and fodder crops.
- Improve Soil Moisture Conservation
- Mulching, organic manure, zero tillage, cover crops, conservation agriculture, contour farming and field bunding should be promoted.
- These practices reduce evaporation, improve soil health and help crops survive dry spells.
- Protect Livestock
- Fodder banks, pasture development, drought-resistant fodder crops, silage storage, cattle camps, veterinary care and drinking water arrangements for animals should be prepared in advance.
- Livestock protection is essential because animals are key livelihood assets in rural India.
- Strengthen Social Protection
- During drought, PDS, MGNREGA(now-Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin), mid-day meals, anganwadi services, nutrition support, direct benefit transfers and emergency credit should be strengthened.
- MGNREGA(now-Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Gramin) works should be linked with drought-proofing activities such as pond restoration, check dams, soil conservation and water harvesting.
- Improve Crop Insurance and Credit Support
- Crop insurance should be made simpler, more transparent and faster in claim settlement.
- Credit support, loan restructuring and interest relief should be provided to prevent farmer distress and debt traps.
- Diversify Rural Livelihoods
- Dependence only on rainfed farming should be reduced.
- Animal husbandry, agro-processing, horticulture, skill development, small enterprises, non-farm work and rural employment opportunities can reduce drought-induced income shocks.
- Strengthen Community Participation
- Local communities should be involved in water budgeting, groundwater regulation, watershed works, drought planning and maintenance of local water bodies.
- Community ownership improves sustainability of drought management measures.
- Integrate Climate-Resilient Planning
- Drought management should be integrated with climate adaptation.
- Planning must consider future risks such as higher temperatures, irregular rainfall, longer dry spells, groundwater stress and increased evaporation.
- Improve Institutional Coordination
- Coordination should be strengthened among IMD, CWC, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Jal Shakti, NDMA, SDMAs, district administrations, panchayats and local water user groups.
- Better data sharing and joint planning can improve preparedness and response.
Drought is a slow-onset disaster, but its effects are deep and long-lasting. It affects agriculture, drinking water, livestock, rural employment, food security, health, migration and the overall rural economy. India’s drought vulnerability is intensified by monsoon dependence, rainfed farming, groundwater depletion, water-intensive crops, poor local water governance and climate change.
Therefore, drought management must shift from a relief-centric approach to a resilience-based approach. Long-term drought-proofing through water conservation, watershed development, groundwater regulation, efficient irrigation, climate-resilient agriculture, livestock protection, livelihood diversification, social protection and community-based water management is essential. Since drought develops gradually, timely monitoring, early warning and local action can significantly reduce its impact on people, livelihoods and development.
Sample Mains Questions
Q1. What is drought? Explain the major types of drought.
(150 words, 10 marks)
Q2. Discuss the major causes of drought in India.
(150 words, 10 marks)
Q3. Drought is a slow-onset disaster but has deep and long-lasting socio-economic impacts. Analyse.
(250 words, 15 marks)
Q4. Explain the role of water conservation and watershed development in drought risk reduction.
(150 words, 10 marks)
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