Hyderabad: With Telangana being affected by El Nino causing low rainfall this year, the state’s government is continuously analysing rainfall, groundwater availability and irrigation resources to assess changes in cropping patterns and formulate contingency measures, said Telangana Agriculture Department Director Gopi. At the first meeting of the state’s Expert Committee on El Nino, he added that groundwater levels have declined by around one metre compared to last year.
“Paddy cultivation is expected to decline significantly this season, while the area under pulses, oilseeds, millets, vegetables and other relatively drought-tolerant crops is expected to increase. The Agriculture Department is preparing district-specific advisories, crop management strategies and scientific guidance to help farmers adapt to the evolving conditions,” said the Telangana Agriculture Department director at the meeting.
The state government had formed the Expert Committee recognising the growing significance of climate variability and the need for proactive preparedness. The first meeting of the 27-member multidisciplinary committee constituted by the Telangana government to assess the impact of the prevailing El Niño conditions was held on Wednesday, July 21, at Praja Bhavan under the chairmanship of Dr G. Chinna Reddy, Vice Chairman, Telangana State Planning Board.
The committee comprises experts from leading research institutions, universities, specialised organisations and government departments, including the India Meteorological Department (IMD), ICRISAT, ICAR-CRIDA, NABARD, the Agriculture, Horticulture and Veterinary Universities, the Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), the Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (IIOR), MARKFED, Oilfed, the National Seeds Corporation, the Telangana State Seed Development Corporation and other stakeholder institutions.
At the meeting on Wednesday, it deliberated on climate-resilient agriculture through scientific crop planning, crop diversification, intercropping, promotion of drought-tolerant and less water-intensive crops, including millets wherever appropriate, efficient water management, strengthened agricultural extension services, integrated water resource management, expansion of water storage infrastructure, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and sustainable utilisation of available freshwater resources.
Telangana witnessing unusual climatic situation
Addressing the meeting, Dr. G. Chinna Reddy said Telangana is witnessing an unusual climatic situation during the current southwest monsoon season. Although forecasts over the past six months had indicated the possibility of below-normal rainfall due to El Niño, many had expected the state to receive normal monsoon rainfall. “However, from June 1 till date, Telangana has recorded an overall rainfall deficit of about 30 per cent. While 10 districts have received normal rainfall, rainfall deficiency has been observed in 23 districts,” he stated, according to a press release.
Explaining the science behind El Nino, he explained that it occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean remain at least 0.5 degrees Celsius above normal for several consecutive months. The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a global climate cycle that significantly influences weather systems worldwide, he added. During this phenomenon, weakened trade winds allow warm ocean waters to shift eastward, weakening the southwest monsoon, whereas La Niña generally strengthens monsoon conditions and supports better rainfall over India.
He observed that the present El Niño phase is contributing to the prevailing rainfall deficit across the State. Keeping these things in mind, Dr. Chinna Reddy informed the meeting that district-wise and mandal-wise weather data, rainfall status and crop area information for the rainfall-deficit districts have been compiled to facilitate scientific assessment and evidence-based decision-making.
‘Telangana responding through meticulous planning’
Chinna Reddy observed that environmental imbalance ultimately affects humanity and stressed the need to “live in harmony” with nature through responsible utilisation of natural resources. Telangana is responding to El Nino through meticulous planning, scientific assessment and coordinated governance and that judicious use of water and electricity must be done, he further stated.
At the meeting, state Irrigation Secretary E Sridhar reviewed reservoir storage, inflows and irrigation availability across the Godavari and Krishna river basins. He informed the committee that inflows into most reservoirs remain significantly below normal and stressed the need to closely monitor rainfall forecasts in Maharashtra and Karnataka, as upstream rainfall would substantially influence water availability in Telangana.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Vinay Kumar emphasised that forests and river catchments are critical components of climate resilience and water security. He suggested that forest management should form an integral part of the state’s contingency planning, considering the likely impacts of prolonged dry spells, rising temperatures and water stress on forest ecosystems and wildlife.
