El Niño is a phenomenon that leads to abnormal heating of the ocean surface, causing a change in wind patterns and impacting weather across the world. India has witnessed four good monsoons in succession, but the probability of a fifth normal monsoon this year looks challenging due to El Niño. The US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has indicated the possibility of El Niño conditions developing this year. Experts have recently deliberated on El Niño’s impact on India’s monsoon and stressed the need for a contingency plan to minimize the threat to the farm sector.
Impact of El Niño on India
El Niño can lead to below-normal rainfall, which affects India’s agricultural sector, leading to droughts and crop failures. However, the share of the crop affected by rainfall is declining steadily due to the resilience of Indian agriculture. NITI Aayog has stressed that Indian agriculture is becoming more resilient to deal with the impact of El Niño. Policymakers should have safeguards against too much dependence on rainfall to minimize the El Niño impact.
Contingency Plan
To minimize the impact of El Niño, it is essential to have a contingency plan. This plan should stress on three dimensions of rainfall – timing, total quantity, and distribution. A contingency plan at the district level should be in place, and seeds of late sowing variety should be available if the arrival of rainfall gets delayed. The government should initiate water conservation and management, closely watch the monsoon while maintaining water bodies, and promote sustainable farming practices.
Government Steps to Mitigate the Impact of El Niño
The government has initiated various schemes to help farmers cope with the impact of El Niño and other weather-related events. Some of the significant schemes are:
- Mission Amrit Sarovar: This scheme aims to develop 75 ponds in each district to reduce dependence on rainfall.
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): This crop insurance scheme protects farmers from crop loss due to natural calamities, including drought, floods, and other weather-related events.
- Soil Health Card scheme: This scheme promotes soil testing and provides farmers with the necessary information to manage their crops better during periods of drought or other weather-related events.
- National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA): This project promotes sustainable watershed management practices in rainfed areas to improve soil moisture and water availability for crops during drought periods.
- National Food Security Mission (NFSM): This mission aims to increase the productivity of crops in rainfed areas through better farming practices and the use of new technologies.
- National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS): This scheme provides financial assistance to farmers in case of crop loss due to natural calamities, including drought and other weather-related events.
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY): This scheme aims to promote efficient use of water resources in agriculture and increase water use efficiency to deal with drought and other weather-related events.
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): This scheme aims to promote agriculture development through various initiatives, including the development of rainfed agriculture and the use of modern technologies to improve crop productivity during drought periods.
Why In News
NITI Aayog, a policy think tank in India, has recently highlighted the growing resilience of Indian agriculture to El Nino shocks, attributing it to various government initiatives and advancements in farming practices. However, the think tank also emphasized the need for continued efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector against potential impacts of climate change.
MCQs about Understanding El Niño and its Potential Impacts on India’s Monsoon
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NITI Aayog recently emphasized the resilience of Indian agriculture to El Niño shocks due to:
A. Four consecutive good monsoons in India.
B. Successful implementation of crop insurance schemes.
C. Increase in government subsidies for farmers.
D. Introduction of genetically modified crops in India.
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What is El Niño?
A. A phenomenon of abnormal heating up of the ocean surface that triggers a change in wind patterns and affects weather across the world.
B. An increase in global temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions.
C. A weather pattern characterized by heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
D. A natural disaster that results in the loss of life and property.
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Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a possible impact of El Niño on Indian agriculture?
A. Above-normal rainfall leading to floods and crop damage.
B. Below-normal rainfall leading to droughts and crop failures.
C. Timing and distribution of rainfall leading to adverse impacts on crops.
D. Reduction in the share of crops affected by rainfall.
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