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Other factors include inadequate water availability, high water loss in
storage and distribution, utilities, over exploitation of surface and ground
water, shift in agricultural practices (low-to-moderate water demanding
crops to high demanding crops), crop damage due to erratic rain and pest
and last but not the least, rapid growth rate of population and animals.
8. Relationship between Rainfall and Agricultural
Production
Rainfall and agricultural operations in Rajasthan, and indeed in many parts
of India, are very closely related. Therefore, rainfall and land area sown
tend to be positively correlated. In Rajasthan, only 25% of agricultural
land is irrigated. The area sown is slightly better indicator of a drought
because it reflects one of the ways in which lack of rainfall affects the human
life. Most agriculture in Rajasthan is rainfed, and people's livelihoods are
still quite heavily dependent on agriculture. According to Department of
Agriculture, the production of Rabi crops in Baran district till April 30,
2003 was only 40%, whereas usually it is 80%-90%. During
Kharif
season,
the sowing of crops was done in 5.87 million hectares against the targeted
12.9 million hectares, i.e. 45.5% of the normal sowing (Fig. 3). Out of the
5.87 million hectares of area sown, 2.72 million hectares has been damaged
due to scarcity of rainfall.
7
Jowar
120000
101041
100000
80000
63389
60000
40000
11180
4570
20000
0
1980-81
1987-88
1994-95
2002-03
Years
Wheat
300000
256617
250000
179997
200000
161448
159636
150000
100000
50000
0
1980-81
1987-88
1994-95
2002-03
Years
Production of two major crops in Baran (1980-2003).
13
,
14
Fig. 3.
