The Central government is preparing contingency measures to help farmers cope with the threat of below-normal monsoon rainfall linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed officials to identify districts at risk of low or uneven rainfall and develop crop-specific plans to provide farmers with timely alternatives, advice and support.
He also called for awareness campaigns in vulnerable regions to educate farmers about precautionary measures and safer crop choices.
El Nino, a naturally occurring climate pattern, typically brings drier-than-normal conditions to India and much of Southeast Asia by altering global wind and rainfall patterns. The phenomenon contributed to 2023 and 2024 becoming the hottest years on record.
Forecasters expect India’s 2026 monsoon rainfall to be about 90 per cent of the long-term average.
The India Meteorological Department has warned of a 60 per cent chance of a deficient monsoon, raising concerns for the agricultural sector, which supports more than 45 per cent of India’s 1.4 billion people.
