Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
of ecological risk make food security and subsistence the primary concern
of farmers. Set within this diverse geographical terrain, Rajasthan encom-
passes a wide range of livelihoods.
5. Major Driving Forces for Drought
Droughts are a recurring phenomenon. The India Meteorological Depart-
ment defines a failure of the monsoon as a year in which the actual rain-
fall has been 20% less than the “normal” rainfall. By this definition, in
Rajasthan the monsoon failed in just two years — 1987 and 2002.
The average annual rainfall in Rajasthan is 531 mm; compared to the
all-India average of 1,100 mm. Rainfall is not only low, but also uncertain.
Further, there are wide variations in rainfall across the state — from as
little as 193 mm in Bikaner in the west, to as much as 607 mm in the eastern
plains in normal years.
The state received just 220.4 mm rainfall up to September 30, 2002,
against the normal of 518.6 mm in the overall monsoon. The overall state
rainfall deficit was -57.5%. Overall in 2002, the monsoon was worst for
Rajasthan in last 17 years as the state recorded a minimum of 220.4 mm
rainfall against the normal of 533 mm. A maximum average rainfall of
726 mm was recorded in 1996 and minimum 291.6 mm was recorded in 1987
but precipitation went down to 220.4 mm as on September 30, 2002.
1
According to the analysis of rainfall received during monsoon period
(from June 1, 1999 to September 30, 1999), the districts of the State have
been categorized into six different categories (Table 1).
The state Government felt that although 15 districts had received deficit
rainfall within normal limits of rainfall, as they lay between (+) 20%, but
because of long dry spells, crops got damaged. Although for the state as
a whole, the overall deficiency was only 16%, this deficiency varied from
district to district and the dry spells created havoc. Although rains were
sucient in terms of quantity in the month of July 1999 but the rains
occurred only in the last week of July 1999. As such sowing of Kharif crops,
particularly cereals, got delayed which affected the production prospects
adversely.
4
As per estimates of the Government of Rajasthan, 23,406 villages out
of a total 34,693 villages of 26 affected districts (total number of districts
is 32) were affected by drought in the year 1999-2000. The loss of the
crops ranged from 75% to 100% in 18,085 villages, whereas loss occurred
from 50% to 74% in 5,321 villages. The human population affected in these
