Lecture given by Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy at Dr. MCR HRD IAP to Officer Trainees

1. MANAGEMENT OF DROUGHT
19th December 2012
Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy,
CEO, GEO http://e-geo.org
Dr. MCR HRD Institute of AP, India

2. Meteorologically, ± 19% deviation of rainfall
from the long-term mean is considered
‘normal’ in India. Deficiency in the range 20–
59% represents ‘moderate’ drought, and
more than 60% is ‘severe’ drought.
Rainfall, temperature, evaporation,
vegetation health, soil moisture, stream flow,
etc. are some of the critical parameters that
are used in drought risk analysis

5. Drought Management System in India

7. Drought Management Strategy

11. Drought 2009 cause and what can be
done?!
The drought is rare of this magnitude and for many
people it is a one generation memory.
Meteorological and information factors are
responsible for this situation. Other cumulative
factors are:
· Global recession
· Increase in commodity prices
· Occurrence of diseases
· Increase and decrease in real estate prices
· Up and down of stock market
· Availability of credit is low
· National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme
– Deviation of labor for indirect natural resources
enhancement activities rather contributing to the
direct production activities. This has lead to Non
availability of labor or uneconomical to hire them.

13. The drought-prone areas are confined mainly to the
peninsular and western parts of the country.
These regions suffer drought mostly due to the
cumulative effects of changing precipitation pattern,
excessive water utilization and ecologically
unsuitable agriculture practices
About 107 mha of the country spread over
administrative districts in several states is affected by
drought

14. Drought classification systems
Meteorological :-
• Normal precipitation below 25%.
Hydrological :-
• Prolonged meteorological drought and drying of
reservoirs, lakes, streams and rivers, cessation of spring
flows and fall in groundwater levels.
Agricultural :-
• Depletion of soil moisture during the growing season. A
dry situation with 20% probability and rainfall deficiency
of more than 25% in drought-prone states of India.
Indian National Commission on Agriculture (1978)

15. Climate Change / Variability
in Semi-arid regions
Precipitation is less than
potential
evapotranspiration.
Low annual rainfall of 25
to 60 centimeters and
having scrubby vegetation
with short, coarse grasses;
not completely arid.

16. Andhra Pradesh - Administrative
districts frequently affected by drought
Ananthapur Chittoor Cuddapah
Hyderabad Kurnool Mahaboobnagar
Nalgonda Prakasam

18. Reported drought events in India over
the past 200 years

22. • a. Water in the tanks
1. Conserving • b. Conserving the trees
the resources • c. Conserving fodder rather selling
• d. Food grains storage rather selling
• a. Prioritizing the sale in distress
• b. Continue to do any work which provides food or wage
• c. Stop risking through going for borewells / wells
2. Coping
• d. Reduce input costs
• e. Ensure drinking water for people and animals
• f. Food and fodder security
• a. Don’t sell your land
• b. Try avoiding getting credit – the interest rates would swallow you
• c. Stop unnecessary spending on the cultural / social events – festivals, marriages, etc.
3. Not to do
• d. Be united rather being in nuclear / dis-jointed families.
• e. Don’t cut / sell trees
• f. Take care of the health, so as to reduce the expenses on health
4. Prepare for • a. Micro-irrigation practices
the • b. Go for Sustainable and subsistence crops rather just commercial crops
adaptation • c. Social networks are useful be in the groups existing at various levels

25. Crop Insurance
• A2.1. The National Agriculture Insurance Scheme has been implemented
in Andhra Pradesh since 1999-2000. The schemes are a mix of voluntary
and compulsory participation. They are voluntary at the state level in
terms of specific areas and crops. Once the specific area-crop
combinations have been notified, participation is compulsory for farmers
in those areas cultivating the specific crops and taking agricultural loans.
In the case of loanee farmers the sum insured may be at least equal to the
crop loan advanced. All farmers can insure to the value of the threshold
yield of the insured crop.
• A2.2. Eighteen crops are currently insurable under NAIS during Kharif
season (e.g., rice, maize, sunflower, groundnut, sugarcane, and cotton)
and ten crops during Rabi season (e.g., rice, maize, sunflower, and
groundnut). The standard area yield insurance scheme has recently been
extended to farm income insurance and rainfall insurance.
• A2.3. The XI Finance Commission noted the need to strengthen the crop
insurance scheme as a supplementary measure to what is done by the
government for providing relief at the time of natural calamity.

26. Calamity Relief Fund (CRF)
• A2.4. This fund was established separately for
each state on the basis of recommendations of
the IX Finance Commission and has since been
approved for continuation by the X and XI
Finance Commissions. This fund should be used
for meeting the expenditure for providing
immediate relief to the victims of cyclone,
drought, earthquake, fire, flood and hailstorm.
The table below describes the financial status of
this fund over the last 5 years.

27. Drought Proofing Programs
Drought Prone Areas Program (DPAP)
• A2.6. DPAP, a centrally sponsored scheme, in operation since 1973, aims at
restoring ecological balance in the drought prone areas and mitigation of the
adverse effects of drought on crops and livestock through integrated development
of natural resources by adoption of appropriate technologies. However, the
program fell short of its initial objectives despite large expenditure.
• A2.7. DPAP is aimed at developing the drought prone area with an objective of
drought proofing by taking up of soil land moisture conservation, water harvesting
structures, afforestation and horticulture programs on a comprehensive micro
watershed basis. During 1994-95 the program was implemented in 69 blocks of 8
districts. From 1995-96 the program is extended further: 11 districts with 94 blocks
under the scheme and Anantapur with 16 blocks under Desert Development
Programs (DDP). So far, 3518 watersheds were taken up covering 110 blocks in 12
districts covering an area of 17.6 lakh hectares. Almost 30 percent of the total
watersheds in country are located in Andhra Pradesh. Total Rs.507.57 crores are
spent towards implementation of the program from 1995-96 to 2002-03. The
expenditure for this program is shared by center and state governments in the
ratio of 75:25.

28. Joint Forest Management /
Community Forest Management
• A2.8. The Government of Andhra Pradesh adopted in 1992
the Joint Forest Management program which envisages a
strategy for production, improvement and development of
forest with the involvement of local communities by
forming them into Vana Samrakshana Samithies (VSS).
• A2.9. There are 7090 VSS actively involved in protection
and development of forests. 8.71 lakh hectares has been
treated so far out of 17.40 lakh hectares of forest area
under VSS. T he Joint Forest Management program is being
supported by the World Bank funded A.P. Community
Forest Management Project, NABARD assistant for RIDF
schemes and Government of India funded Forest
Development agencies.

29. • Water Harvesting Structures
• Micro Irrigation Project
• Andhra Pradesh Rural Livelihood Project (APRLP)
• Watershed Development
• Integrated Wastelands Development Program
(IWDP)
• Rural Infrastructure Development
• Employment Programs - MGNREGA

30. TEMPERATURE PRECIPITATIONS
5 degrees = What separates us from the last glacial era (-15 000 BC)
Models’ forecasts : +1,4 to +5,8 degrees by 2100.
Source : IPCC/SRESA2

31. Indian poverty
• Poverty is widespread in India, with the nation
estimated to have a third of the world's poor.
According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 41.6%
of the total Indian population falls below
the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 a day
(PPP, in nominal terms 21.6 a day in urban areas
and 14.3 in rural areas).[1] A recent report by the
Oxford Poverty and Human Development
Initiative states that 8 Indian states have more
poor than 26 poorest African nations combined
which totals to more than 410 million poor in the
poorest African countries.[2]

32. Capitals

34. Watershed activities focus on vulnerability
reduction
Livelihood enforcing
support rights
Productivity of
Enhancement
natural
of knowledge
resources

37. Every drop counts

38. The Barefoot College, Tilonia

39. Freshwater management in India
Water Conservation
Watershed management
Water quality conservation
Inter basin water transfer
GW management
Recycle and reuse of water
Public involvement and capacity building
Anupma Sharma

40. Condensation
Let’s take a look at
Precipitation The Water Cycle
Evapotranspiration
Evaporation
Infiltration
Surface Runoff
Consumption Surface Water
.ppt (40)
Sea water intrusion

41. WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME (WDP)
Improve and sustain productivity and production
potentials of the dry/semi-arid regions of India
through adoption of appropriate production and
conservation technologies.
Meet the needs of local rural communities for
food, fuel, fodder and timber. Improve all types
of lands, i.e., Government, Forest, Community
and Private Lands falling within a watershed.

42. WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME (WDP)
WDPs, in short: A holistic approach to improve and
develop the economic and natural resource base
of dry/semi-arid/fragile regions. In a watershed
development program the watershed is the unit
for development rather than political or
administrative boundaries

43. WDP Activities
• i)Land Development: Levelling and terracing,
improving soil quality and productivity; and
watershed reclamation.
• ii)Water Development: Promote in situ water
harvesting and conservation, establish
percolation ponds and open wells, tanks,
small reservoirs, and improving water quality.

44. WDP Activities
• iii)Enterprises/Activities: Evolve appropriate
farming systems, encourage a crop mix of
high value/high yield crops, social/agro-
forestry, other income-generating activities
like dairying, poultry-keeping, etc.

45. Some Illustrations of Benefits of
WDPs
• -Replacing seasonal/annual crops with agro-silvi,
agrohorti, silvi-horti; systems on hill
slopes/degraded lands. Benefits: reduce soil
erosion; arrest surface run-offs.
• -Training water to store excess water run-offs in
farm ponds/percolation tanks. Benefits: improve
groundwater recharge.
• -Construction of earthen or vegetative bunds or
barriers to surface run-offs in a watershed.
Benefits: help in moisture conservation.

47. In the life of a
farmer climate
Variability and
Extreme events are
more important
than climate change

48. Government departments (AP)
• Agriculture and Co-Operation • Labour, Employment Training and Factories
• Animal Husbandry and Fisheries • Law
• Backward Classes Welfare • Minorities Welfare
• Consumer Affairs Food & Civil Supplies • Municipal Administration and Urban
• Energy Development
• Environment, Forests, Science and • Panchayat Raj and Rural Development
Technology • Planning
• FinanceFinance (PMU)Finance (Project Wing) • Public Enterprises
• General Administration • Rain Shadow Areas Development
• Health, Medical and Family Welfare • Revenue
• Higher Education • School Education (SE Wing)
• Home • School Education (SSA Wing)
• Housing • Social Welfare
• Industries and Commerce • Transport, Roads and Buildings
• Information Technology and Communications • Women Development, Child Welfare and
• Infrastructure and Investment Disabled Welfare
• Irrigation • Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture
http://www.aponline.gov.in/apportal/departments/portallistoforgsbydepts.aspx?i=3

49. MGNREGA
• 'National Rural Employment Guarantee Act'2005 (NREGA)
• Act guarantees 100 days of employment in a financial year to
every household
• a social safety net for the vulnerable groups and an
opportunity to combine growth with equity
• Structured towards harnessing the rural work-force, not as
recipients of doles, but as productive partners in our
economic process
• assets created result in sustained employment for the area for
future growth employment and self-sufficiency
• Operationalised from 2nd February, 2006 in 200 selected
districts, extended to 130 more districts in 2007-08.
• The remaining districts (around 275) of the country under the
ambit of NREGA from 1st of April, 2008

50. Agriculture
• India ‘s population is 1.21 billion in 2011. 67% are rural.
Majority are in agriculture.
• Importance of agriculture in Indian economy. Although it
contributes only 15% of GDP, the share of workers is about
55%.
• Marginal and small farmers dominate
• Major crops are rice, wheat, maize, coarse cereals,
groundnut, cotton, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables
• 60% of cultivated area is rainfed as only 40% of area is
under irrigation.
• Rural poverty is 41%in 2004-05.
• Agriculture is a ‘State Subject’. In other words, the policies
of provinces are also important

51. Climate Change / Variability in Semi-arid regions
Climate Variability and extremes are
an expected characteristic of semi-arid
lands.
The people vulnerable to droughts,
which trigger frequent subsistence
crises
Increasing crop failures, dislocation,
famine, poverty, increases
stratification and the social inequities.

52. Major challenges of Agriculture
Climate change - Soil fertility Water
variability - management
extremes
Impact of Burning of crop Alkalinity of soils
hazardous residue
pesticides and
nitrogen fertilizers

53. Vulnerability of poor in rural areas
Two-thirds of households derive income directly
from natural sources
Natural resources are threatened by stresses
Biotic & Abiotic
Agriculture & natural resource based livelihoods
at immediate risk
Rural poor do not have resources to cope

54. Nature of Works
Water based Land based
• » Water conservation
• » Land development
• » Water harvesting
• » Micro and minor Forest/ Agro--Forestry
irrigation works
• » Provision of irrigation • » Afforestation
facilities • » Horticulture
• » Desilting of tanks Infrastructure
• » Renovation of traditional
water bodies • » Rural roads
• » Flood control and
protection works

59. Conservation technologies
Stress-tolerant, climate-resilient varieties of
seeds, drip irrigation, zero-tillage, raised-bed
planting, laser-levelling, Systems of Rice
Intensification (SRI), can build adaptive
capacities to cope with increasing water
stress, providing “more crop per drop”.

60. “VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT AND ENHANSING ADAPTIVE CAPACITY TO CLIMATE
CHANGE IN SEMI-ARID AREAS OF INDIA”
Policies/Structures Vulnerability Adaptability
Rural Poverty Livelihoods Diversification
Community Empowerment
Energy
Bio Diversity Agriculture Production Water Resources
Climate Change
Appropriate Skills Water Management
SCENARIO 1
Human / Social Natural / Environmental / Physical Economic / Political
AFPRO 60

61. GSBC PROJECT
INTEGRATED APPROACH

62. Major challenges of Agriculture
Climate change - Soil fertility Water
variability - management
extremes
Impact of Burning of crop Alkalinity of soils
hazardous residue
pesticides and
nitrogen fertilizers

63. 100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
0
195152
195253
195354
195455
195556
195657
195758
195859
195960
196061
196162
196263
196364
196465
196566
196667
196768
196869
196970
197071
197172
197273
197374
197475
197576
197677
197778
197879
197980
198081
198182
198283
198384
198485
198586
198687
198788
198889
198990
199091
199192
199293
199394
199495
199596
199697
199798
199899
199900
200001
200102
200203
Mahabubnagar District Rainfall Pattern
200304
200405
200506
200607
R2 = 0.1374
200708
200809
200910
y = -4.6207x + 851.14
201011
201112
201213
201314

64. Field level interventions
ACTIVITY
CAPACITY
DEVELOPMENT
FACILITATION RESEARCH

65. INCREASED
PRODUCTI SOIL
SPIRITUAL CARBON ON TEMPERAT
SEQUESTR URE
ATION REGULATE
D
CREMATIO
BELIEFS
N
TERMITES /
MOISTURE
ANTS
RETENTION
CULTURAL REPULSION
ALTARS RITUALS ENERG
Y
EARTHWO WATER
SOIL
RMS CONSERVA
FESTIVALS AMENDMENT
INCREASE TION
BIOCH
AR
NITROGEN
BIOMASS BIOCHAR
/
PHOSPHOR
COMPOST
OUS
INSECT FOOD PRESERV RETENTION
REPELLE ING
NT FOOD SOIL
MICROBES
NURSERIES
FILTERIN CLEANIN DENSITY
INCREASE PESTICIDES
G MEDIA G ADBSORBTI
ON
GOOD
STOVES
SOAK MEDICIN •TLUDs
PITS E •Other
stoves POULTRY -
PRACTICES CH4
REDUCTION
BIOCHAR MATTRE WASTE
URINALS SS MANAGEM SOURCES CROP
ENT (BIOMASS) RESIDUE
•Sludge
BIOCHAR TOOTH ANIMALS
BRICKS POWDER
AQUARI AIR
POULTRY
QUALITY LIVESTOCK -
UM / LITTER FYM /
WATER URINE AND
TERRARI • CO2 / COMPOST
TREATM DUNG
UMS CH4
ENT Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, GEO
http://e-geo.org | http://biocharculture.com

66. RITUAL /
SPIRITUAL /
SOIL AGRICUTURE ANIMALS ENERGY HABITAT SANITATION HEALTH WATER
RELIGIOUS /
PRACTICES
PADDY APPLICATION IN
ANIMAL PLACES BIOCHAR FIRE / ALTAR /
METHANE BIOCHAR URINALS
TO TAP URINE, SOURCE FROM YAGNAS /
EMISSIONS BRICKS CLEANING
SANITATION EFFICIENT TLUD AGNIHOTRA
REDUCTION TEETH
AND COOK STOVES
EMISSIONS
BIOCHAR
REDUCTION
BIOCHAR
PESTICIDE & TOILETS
COMPLEX
BIOCHAR IN FIRE DURING
CHEMICALS
AQUARIUMS FESTIVALS
AFFECTS
RUMINANT WATER
MITIGATION
ANIMALS AS BY PRODUCT PURIFICATION –
METHANE FROM GASIFIER BIOCHAR IN BIOCHAR COLOR, ODOR,
EMISSIONS STOVES, CATTLE SHEDS TABLETS REMOVAL OF
EMMISIONS REDUCTION AS BOILERS ETC HARMFUL
REDUCTION FEED ADDITIVE ELEMENTS, ETC.
BIOCHAR IN
FROM FARM
POULTRY CREMATIONS
YARD
FARMS CLEANING
MANURES AND
COMPOSTS PLATES /
BIOCHAR UTENSILS
SOAKING IN
COMPOST CHARCOAL
WITH ANIMALS BIOCHAR IN
PRODUCTION NATURAL /
URINE AND BIOCHAR IN FOOD AS PART
FROM BIOMASS ARTIFICIAL
CROP RESIDUE EXCRETA - FRIDGES, OF FOOD
/ WASTE FIRES IN
MANAGEMENT VALUE MATTRESSES, BATHING PREPARATIONS
MANAGEMENT FORESTS /
ADDITION ETC.
FIELDS, ETC.

67. Biocharculture
Biocharculture is the process of using Biochar,
including cultivation of crops
• Biochar is the charcoal produced from carbonaceous source
material. Sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide in terrestrial
ecosystems
• Biocharculture is one of the means to integrate for sustainable
cultivation and carbon sequestration.
• Biochar is usually produced at around temperatures 300 to 600
degrees centigrade for example as found in the common biomass
cook stoves.
• Because of its macromolecular structure dominated by aromatic C,
Biochar is more recalcitrant to microbial decomposition than
uncharred organic matter

68. Biocharculture Adaptation benefits
Lessen the impact
of hazardous
Securing the crop
Reclaim the pesticides and
from drought and water conservation,
degraded soils, complex chemicals
climate variabiiity
& to reduce plant
uptake.
Conversion of crop
reducing emissions
residue into Biochar increases in C, N,
and increasing the Increase in crop
an option and pH, and available P
sequestration of yield
address carbon to the plants
greenhouse gases
sequestration
Reduction in Increase in the soil
Impacts of Biochar Temperature
leaching of the bio / microbes / worms
last more than 1000 regulation in the
chem fertilizers at the biochar and
years. soil
applied soil interface

69. CONTROL AND BIOCHAR - OKRA
Farmers focus
80% ON CROP
20% ON SOIL

70. BIOCHAR COMPOST

71. APPLICATION IN THE FIELDS

72. OKRA - CONTROL AND BIOCHAR PLOTS
CONTROL BIOCHAR COMPOST
4 KGS 8 KGS 12 KGS

73. BIOCHAR
CONTROL
1.5 FEET 6 FEET

74. BIOCHAR
RESULTS
GSBC PROJECT, 2009 (DORUGHT
PREVAILED DURING THE GROWING
SEASON)

75. Methane Emissions from paddy fields

76. Biochar – livestock urine

77. Ref: http://...