Measures to Cope with Drought

Until recently, disaster response was reactive and relief-focused. This approach is now shifting from relief-centric to prevention-centric integrated initiatives.

• Suitable farming methods for arid areas: Drought can be mitigated in arid regions by implementing the appropriate methods. Some of the methods are to produce coarse and hardy cereals, conserve soil moisture by deep ploughing, store water behind small dams, and collect water in ponds or tanks, among others.

• Sowing drought resistant crops: It is possible to mitigate the impact of drought to some extent by planting drought-resistant crops such as cotton, moong, pearl millet, wheat, etc.

• Rainwater harvesting: It may be possible to fight the drought by collecting every drop of rain.

• Improvement of agricultural practices: In order to maximise the use of rainwater, high bunds can be constructed around fields, terrace cultivation should be implemented, and plants should be planted next to bunds of fields. Instead of growing rice or sugarcane (high water-consuming), lentils and millets would be more suitable.

• Water conservation from canal: Water can also be conserved by lining the irrigation canals with mortar and bricks.

• Efficient irrigation: Water loss is low in drip irrigation and sprinkler methods. By using small quantities of water, a relatively large area can be irrigated.

Other Measures: 

• Aquifers should be identified as potential sources of groundwater, river water should be relocated to deficit locations, and dams and reservoirs should be built to assist with the transfer of water between surplus and deficit areas.
• The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, has launched a national project for Integrated Drought Monitoring and Management.
• The government is also promoting institutes like the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), the India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) etc., to carry out research to make India drought resilient.

Drought management includes drought severity assessment and monitoring, drought declaration and prioritisation of drought management regions, as well as the creation and execution of drought management measures.