HYDERABAD: In view of the prevailing El Nino conditions, the state government will be launching a three-phased contingency plan, the first of which will be implemented from July 15.
Under these contingency plans, which were prepared in consultation with agricultural scientists, IMD officials and district collectors, paddy cultivation will be restricted, and the government will be encouraging farmers to take up alternative crops. The Agriculture department has devised the three-phase, district-specific contingency plan based on rainfall scenarios expected on July 15, July 30 and August 15.
According to officials, the strategy has been chalked out with an objective to encourage alternative crops in about 50 lakh acres if rainfall remains deficient.
During the previous Kharif season, crops were cultivated in about 1.4 crore acres, including paddy in close to 70 lakh acres. This season, crops have already been sown in around 60 lakh acres. However, if El Nino conditions persist, paddy cultivation is expected to be limited to 30 to 40 lakh acres, prompting the government to promote alternative crops, the officials said.
The government is also closely monitoring rainfall across all 33 districts. As of July 10, rainfall was normal in 13 districts, while 20 districts recorded a deficit. District collectors, agriculture officials and scientists are jointly reviewing the situation in deficit districts and implementing corrective measures wherever necessary, the officials added.
Thummala to conduct review meeting today
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao is scheduled to meet officials of agriculture, horticulture universities, IMD, scientists from ICRISAT, IIOR, CRIDA and other stakeholders on Monday to review the situation and also provide final touches to the contingency plan.
The minister said the state has adopted a Dynamic District Specific Response (DSR) approach, which includes real-time rainfall monitoring, weather-based farm advisories, groundwater monitoring, climate risk analysis, contingency crop planning, moisture conservation and crop diversification.
‘Start sowing only after receiving 50 mm of rainfall’
He advised farmers to begin sowing only after receiving at least 50 mm of rainfall over two to three consecutive days, ensuring adequate soil moisture. “If rains are delayed, farmers have been urged to shift to pulses, millets, oilseeds and other drought-tolerant crops such as groundnut, green gram, black gram, red gram, pearl millet and sorghum,” he said.
Nageswara Rao also assured that there would be no shortage of seeds or fertilisers. The government has already assessed requirements and stocked inputs in advance for different rainfall scenarios. Fertilisers and agricultural inputs have been positioned at district and mandal levels, while technical advisories are being disseminated through Rythu Vedikas, WhatsApp groups and field-level staff, he added.
The minister further said that a special awareness session on El Nino, contingency farming, water management and climate-resilient agriculture will also be conducted during the upcoming Rythu Nestham programme.
“No matter how severe the El Nino impact may be, we will take every possible measure to ensure that farmers do not suffer. The government will stand firmly with the farming community,” he added.
