Real Time Contingency Planning

Abstract

Rainfed agriculture occupies a prominent place in Indian economy and rural livelihoods. It is spread over 55% of net cultivated area, contributing over 40% to the national agricultural production. Rainfed areas support 40% of India's population of over a billion, and play a vital role in food security. Over 87% of coarse cereals and pulses, 55% of upland rice, 77% of oilseeds and 65% of cotton are cultivated under rainfed farming. Resource poor farmers, the backbone of rainfed agriculture, were largely bypassed by green revolution whose benefits were mostly reaped by the already resourceful farmers holding irrigated lands. It is estimated that even after achieving the full irrigation potential, barring for successful completion of river linking project, nearly 45 to 50% of the total cultivated area will remain dependent on rain. Undoubtedly, the rainfed agriculture would continue to occupy a prominent place in Indian agriculture for a long time to come (Venkateswarlu et al., 2011). Despite the progress made so far, rainfed agriculture in India encounters multiple risks and constraints relating to biophysical and socio-economic issues. Agricultural productivity in rainfed areas continues to remain low and unstable due to weather aberrations, nutrient disorder and poor socio-economic status of farmers. Recurrent droughts undermine the food, fodder and livelihood security of the rural mass and force them to migrate in search of work. Rainfed agriculture, which suffers from moisture shortages, frequent dry spells or drought like situations, should imbibe the technologies that conserve the soil and moisture effectively. Climatic variability is likely to affect the spatial and temporal scenario of agricultural production systems. Strategic and anticipated research to understand the significant role of climate variability on rainfed agriculture is being pursued at a greater depth. There is an immediate need to demonstrate appropriate technologies to make rainfed agriculture economically viable and environmentally sustainable.