Drought management in Indian agriculture: Challenges, strategies, and sustainable solutions

Abstract

India, with its predominantly agrarian economy, is acutely vulnerable to climatic aberrations, particularly droughts, which significantly disrupt agricultural productivity and jeopardize rural livelihoods (Government of India, 2021; Mall et al., 2006) [40, 17]. Approximately 60% of the net sown area in India is rainfed, making it highly sensitive to rainfall variability, which has been exacerbated by climate change and anthropogenic pressures (Venkateswarlu & Shanker, 2009; IPCC, 2021) [21, 15]. This review paper critically examines the multifaceted challenges that drought poses to Indian agriculture, including erratic and declining rainfall patterns, overexploitation of groundwater resources, and institutional limitations in forecasting and preparedness (Rodell et al., 2009; Shah, 2009; Mishra & Singh, 2010) [18, 19, 4]. Groundwater, which contributes nearly 60% to irrigation in India, is rapidly depleting, especially in drought-prone regions like northwestern India, intensifying the agrarian crisis (CGWB, 2020; Famiglietti, 2014) [8, 11]. The paper explores a wide range of mitigation and adaptation strategies employed across diverse agro-ecological zones. These include technological innovations like micro-irrigation, drought-tolerant crop varieties, and remote sensing tools; agronomic practices such as conservation agriculture and crop diversification; policy mechanisms including contingency crop planning and crop insurance; and community-based models like participatory watershed development (Ghosh et al., 2014; Singh et al., 2011; Aggarwal et al., 2019) [12, 20, 6]. Particular emphasis is laid on sustainable and integrated solutions, such as the deployment of climate-resilient varieties (e.g., drought-tolerant rice and millets), promotion of agroforestry systems, adoption of integrated watershed management, and the use of digital technologies for real-time drought monitoring, early warning systems, and decision-support platforms (CRIDA, 2020; Lal et al., 2021; GoI-DACFW, 2022) [9, 16, 14]. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for strengthening long-term resilience in Indian agriculture. These include developing an integrated drought risk management framework that aligns technological, institutional, and policy dimensions while ensuring inclusive participation of farmers and local communities (WMO & UNCCD, 2016; Aggarwal et al., 2020) [22, 7]. A robust integration of climate-smart agriculture, capacity building, and data-driven planning is vital for managing the increasing frequency and intensity of droughts under changing climate regimes (FAO, 2017; IPCC, 2021) [10, 15].