15-Intensification and recession of droughts in a dry farming region.

Abstract

The Dry Farming Region of India, characterised by 40 to 100 cm annual rainfall, stretches from extreme north to the southern tip of the country and comprises of 87 districts. Rainfall is the prime weather factor which contrails agricultural production in this region where irrigation plays a minor role. Using percentiles of monthly rainfall, during southwest monsoon months (June - September),for a period of 30 years from 1956 to 1985, intensification and recession of droughts has been studied in the Dry Farming Region of Maharashtra State comprising of 12 districts. A simple approach has been suggested and adopted to identify intensification and recession of droughts. Years and areas of maximum and minimum intensification/recession have been identified. Probabilities of monthly and seasonal drought have also been analysed. A few suggestions are mentioned to monitor agricultural drought using modern techniques.