Indicators for assessing drought hazard in arid regions of india

Abstract

Drought is a normal phenomenon of earth's climate, and is a common feature in the drylands of India. Indian agriculture, which is highly dependent on the monsoon rainfall, is a major victim of drought. Since nearly 70% of the net sown area in the country is rainfed, aberrant behavior of the monsoon such as low and poor rainfall distribution, its delayed onset, or prolonged dry spells during cropping season, often result in low crop yields. Arid western part of Rajasthan state is a frequent victim of moderate to severe droughts, resulting in huge economic loss and natural resources. Severe droughts have reduced food grain production in western Rajasthan by 70% in 1987-1988, and by 50% in 2002-2003 (Anon., 2004a; Narain and Kar, 2005). © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.