Centre Reviews Kharif Preparedness Amid El Niño Concerns
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chaired a high-level virtual meeting with state Agriculture Ministers, District Collectors, and experts from ICAR, ICAR-CRIDA, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to review preparedness for the Kharif season. The meeting was prompted by a significantly delayed southwest monsoon, with rainfall 43% below normal as of the review, and forecasts indicating continued weakness until at least July 2. The Minister assured farmers that the Centre and states are undertaking joint, proactive measures to minimize the impact of a potential weak monsoon and El Niño conditions, emphasizing advance planning over reactive crisis management.
Identification of Vulnerable Districts and Contingency Planning
A joint assessment by the Ministry of Agriculture and ICAR identified 315 districts as potentially vulnerable to weak monsoon conditions. These were categorized by irrigation coverage: 111 high-priority districts (below 25% irrigation), 76 medium-priority (25-50% irrigation), and 128 low-priority districts (better irrigation facilities). The majority are located across 12 states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. For these districts, ICAR and ICAR-CRIDA have prepared District Agriculture Contingency Plans (DACPs), which prescribe district-specific measures including alternative crops, diversification strategies, water optimization, and additional income opportunities. States and district administrations were directed to translate these plans into actionable field strategies for immediate implementation.
Water Conservation and Irrigation Management
Water conservation has been accorded top priority. Directions were issued to immediately repair and strengthen ponds, reservoirs, streams, farm ponds, check dams, stop dams, and temporary bunding structures. Water conservation works under MGNREGA and forthcoming rural development programmes like VB-GRAMG are to be prioritized to simultaneously generate employment and enhance water storage capacity. Sensitive districts were advised to prioritize drinking water supply and arrange water transfers from surplus to deficit regions if necessary. The meeting reviewed basin-wise reservoir storage, noting levels above normal in some basins and deficits of 20-60% in others, with states asked to prioritize interventions accordingly.
Crop Strategy and Input Availability
States have been advised to promote short-duration crop varieties and those with higher yields and lower water requirements. Crop diversification, intercropping, and mixed farming are being encouraged to distribute risk. Special emphasis is placed on pulses, Shri Anna (millets), and oilseeds, which perform better under limited moisture. Adequate seed arrangements for Kharif are confirmed, with an additional 1% seed stock reserved for districts where resowing may be necessary. The Ministry of Fertilizers reported satisfactory availability of all major fertilisers (urea, DAP, MOP, NPK, SSP) for the season, with monitoring mechanisms to ensure timely distribution to vulnerable districts. Farmers were advised to undertake sowing only after cumulative rainfall of 75–100 mm and adequate soil moisture to avoid premature sowing risks.
Advisory, Livestock, and Financial Safety Nets
The country's 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Agro-Meteorological Advisory Units have been instructed to work closely with districts to guide farmers on El Niño impacts and crop management. Information dissemination will be strengthened through Agro-Met advisories, SMS, WhatsApp, call centres, radio, TV, and social media. For livestock, advance plans are being prepared to transport fodder from surplus to deficit areas to prevent shortages, with monitoring to prevent black marketing. Financially, expanded coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in vulnerable districts is a focus to ensure timely compensation for crop losses. States are to expedite Kisan Credit Card (KCC) issuance, and the recently released PM-KISAN instalment is highlighted as a resource for farmers to purchase inputs. PMFBY, KCC, and PM-KISAN are presented as a comprehensive support system.
Coordination, Monitoring, and Food Security
A multi-tier coordination framework has been established from Centre to village levels, with regular meetings and real-time data-sharing among District Collectors, various departments, KVKs, and ATMA. At the national level, an 'El Niño Monitoring Cell' and a 'Crop Weather Watch Group' have been constituted in New Delhi to continuously analyse monsoon progress, sowing, crop conditions, input supplies, and market indicators. States have been instructed to set up control rooms and designate nodal officers, with most already nominated. Secretary-level reviews are conducted weekly, with the Minister personally reviewing the situation every Tuesday. On food security, buffer stocks of rice and wheat are reported as comfortable. For Kharif 2026, a foodgrain production target of approximately 176 million tonnes has been set, considering monsoon forecasts, MSP, demand trends, and government schemes.