Question.
Explain the factors that contribute to droughts in India with specific reference to food production, distribution, and availability. Can Indian agriculture policies resolve the issue?
(UPSC 2025, Paper 2, Geography Optional PYQ)
Answer.
What is Drought?
Drought is a prolonged period of deficient rainfall leading to water scarcity, affecting soil moisture, agriculture, and livelihoods.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) considers rainfall deficiency of more than 25% from normal as drought conditions.
Drought is a “creeping disaster”, particularly significant for India, where nearly 80% of annual rainfall depends on the monsoon.
Factors Contributing to Droughts in India:
The following are major factors that contribute to drought in India.
A. Natural or Climatic Factors:
Natural factors include:
1. Monsoon Variability
India’s agriculture is heavily dependent on the Southwest Monsoon. Erratic rainfall, delayed onset, or early withdrawal leads to drought.
2. El Niño and Climate Variability:
Events like El Niño (2023) cause a weak monsoon and a dry rainy season.
Result: poor sowing and reduced crop yields
3. Spatial and Temporal Rainfall Inequality:
Uneven distribution: Some regions (Rajasthan, Deccan Plateau) are drought-prone.
Long dry spells within the monsoon season worsen agricultural drought.
B. Anthropogenic Factors:
Anthropogenic factors include:
1. Over-extraction of Groundwater
Excessive irrigation → falling water tables
Reduces resilience during rainfall deficit
2. Deforestation and Land Degradation
Nearly 30% of land is degraded → low moisture retention due to low organic presence and the use of fertilizers in the soil.
3. Water-intensive Cropping Pattern:
Sowing Paddy and sugarcane in semi-arid regions increases vulnerability during drought.
4. Inefficient Irrigation
Flood irrigation leads to water wastage, and it worsens during rainfall deficit
5. Urbanisation and Loss of Water Bodies
Encroachment of floodplains and water bodies in urban/rural areas reduces natural storage capacity.
Drought and Food Security:
Impact of Drought on Food Production
India’s foodgrain production (2023–24) = ~332 million tonnes
However, drought conditions:
- Reduced pulses, oilseeds, and cotton production
- In severe drought, productivity can fall by up to 40% in rainfed areas
- Rainfed agriculture (~56% of the cropped area) is most vulnerable
Impact of Drought on Food Distribution
Supply shortages → price rise and food inflation
The government may impose:
- Export restrictions
- Buffer stock release
Example:
2023 drought-like conditions led to export curbs on rice, wheat, and onions.
Impact of Drought on Food Availability
- Reduced production → lower per capita availability
- Increased dependence on the Public Distribution System (PDS)
- Rising food insecurity (about 20% population affected in 2023)
Nutritional impacts:
- Reduced dietary diversity
- Increased malnutrition
Impact of Drought in Food Security Chain:
The food security chain has three stages: production, distribution, and availability.
When drought happens:
- Production: Crop failure, yield decline
- Distribution: Supply disruption, inflation
- Availability: Food insecurity, malnutrition
Thus, drought affects the entire food system, not just agriculture.
Can Indian Agricultural Policies Resolve the Issue?
A. Positive Contributions
The following are the positive contributions of Agricultural policies in resolving drought problems:
1. Irrigation Expansion
Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) improve irrigation coverage and reduce monsoon dependence.
2. Food Security Buffer System
Food Corporation of India (FCI) maintains buffer stocks, and the Public Distribution System( PDS) ensures food availability.
3. Crop Insurance
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) reduces farmer risk in case of crop failure.
4. Minimum Support Price( MSP) System
MSP encourages production stability, and it ensures income security for farmers.
5. Promotion of Millets (Climate-resilient crops)
International Year of Millets (2023) encourages drought-resistant agriculture and growing crops like Ragi, Bajra, etc.
B. Limitations of Policies
The following are some limitations of agricultural policies in the context of drought prevention:
1. Overemphasis on Rice-Wheat System
Minimum support price ( MSP) and Food Corporation of India ( FCI) promote water-intensive crops, which leads to growing these unsustainable crops in drought-prone regions.
2. Regional Imbalance
Irrigation benefits are concentrated mostly in Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP, which leads to regional Imbalance.
3. Groundwater Crisis
Policies indirectly encourage over-extraction of groundwater.
4. Implementation Gaps
Since agriculture is the state subject, each state implement their own version of policies. Poor last-mile delivery of schemes leads to a fragmented approach in implementation.
Way farward:
- Shift to climate-resilient agriculture
- Promote millets, pulses, and oilseeds
- Improve micro-irrigation (drip, sprinkler)
- Strengthen water conservation (watershed development)
- Use AI and GIS for drought prediction
- Integrate agriculture + water + climate policy
Drought in India is a multidimensional phenomenon driven by monsoon variability, climate change, and human mismanagement of resources. Its impact extends beyond agriculture to the entire food security chain—production, distribution, and availability.
While Indian agricultural policies have improved resilience through irrigation, buffer stocks, and MSP, they cannot fully resolve drought vulnerability without structural reforms.
A shift towards sustainable, diversified, and climate-resilient agriculture is essential to ensure long-term food security in India.
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