Is 2012 a Drought Year?

Agricultural scientist, M S Swaminathan, who is also called as Father of India’s green revolution told IBN Live that food production declines by an average of 10 percent year on year in a drought year. He said that it is a loss of livelihood, loss of crop and loss of hope for the people.

So, is the government doing too little, too late? The government however has started planning for water, fodder and employment. Subsidies have been announced for seeds and diesel.

It was seen that in Bundelkhand in UP, the farmer suicide continues. More than 80 percent depend on agriculture here. 76 percent are debt ridden and there have been more than thousand suicides in two and half years. The Rs 7000 crore package from the government isn’t doing much for them.

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India is facing the driest monsoon in nearly four decades now. 320 districts are drought hit. The rains will be 15-20 percent below normal even in August. North- west, India’s grain belt, has received 37 percent less than normal rain. Central India has a 20 percent rain deficit and North east India has a 10 percent rainfall deficit.

Karnataka is seeing the worst drought in 40 years. 123 taluks in 24 districts is affected. The monsoon deficit is 70 percent and the state seeks a central aid of Rs 2000 crore.

Ashok Gulati, Agricultural Economist told IBN Live that Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat are already facing a drought. He said that in terms of livelihood losses, farmers bear the first hit because his income goes down and has to spend more on diesel and seed. Further, productivity goes down and so does fodder for his cattle. Secondly, he says the agricultural labour suffers and the consumers suffer too, as food prices go up.

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