Monitoring and Managing Agricultural Drought in India - Monitoring and Predicting Agricultural Drought: A Global Study - page 299

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Table 23.1 Frequency of occurrences of droughts in India

Ge ographical region Drought frequency

W est Rajasthan and Kutchchh Once in 2.5 years

Te lengana, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, south interior Karnataka,
eastern Rajasthan, and Gujarat

Once in 3 years

Vidarbha, Uttar Pradesh, north interior Karnakata, and west Madhya
Pradesh

Once in 4 years

Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, coastal
Karnataka, Konkan, east Madhya Pradesh, and Maharastra

Once in 5 years

No rtheastern regions Once in 15 years

Source: Appa Rao (1991).

in 1967-68. The droughts of 1972-73 reduced the food grains production
fr om 108 to 95 million tons, causing a loss of about $400 million.
In 1999, droughts occurred in 12 states, affecting about 100 million
hu man and 60 million livestock population, mostly in Rajasthan, Gujarat,
A ndhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh states. A survey conducted during
th e 1999-2000 drought in Rajasthan and Gujarat showed that the fod-
de r deficit in the arid parts of Rajasthan was 50-75%, which resulted in
78 % of the livestock migrating from the Barmer, 70% from the Jaisalmer,
an d 20% from the Jodhpur district in Rajasthan State. Net sowing area
al so declined significantly. Traditional occupations (farming, livestock hus-
ba ndry) were replaced by labor for relief works during drought years. The
gr oundwater levels declined at the rate of 0.2-0.4 m/annum. The qual-
ity of groundwater also deteriorated, and the concentration of undesirable

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Figure 23.2 A family migrating from drought-prone areas (in Rajasthan, India) to adjoining
ar eas or states in search for food, water, and employment during 1999-2000 drought year.