MUMBAI: Maharashtra has declared drought conditions across nearly three-quarters of the state after months of below-normal rainfall, raising concerns for farmers and rural communities in one of India’s most important agricultural regions.
The state government said Saturday that 74% of Maharashtra has been affected by drought, following an extended shortfall in monsoon rainfall. The development comes after India’s weather authorities forecast a rainfall deficit for the June-to-September monsoon season, which is crucial for agriculture, water supplies and parts of the wider economy.
Officials have linked the weak rainfall to a stronger-than-usual El Nino weather pattern, which is generally associated with drier conditions in South Asia. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his government stood “firmly behind our farmer brethren” and would assess crop losses so that assistance could reach farmers, agricultural labourers and rural households without delay.
Maharashtra, home to India’s financial hub Mumbai, has a population of about 130 million and is a major producer of cotton, soybeans, sugarcane and pulses. Much of its farming depends on rainfall rather than irrigation, leaving growers vulnerable when the monsoon underperforms.
For many rural families, failed or weakened crops can quickly translate into debt and financial insecurity. The drought declaration is therefore expected to increase pressure on state authorities to provide compensation, food support and other relief measures.
The effects of erratic rainfall are also being felt elsewhere in southern India. Karnataka has announced assistance for farmers in areas hit by drought, as dry conditions affect crops and reduce water availability.
India’s monsoon normally delivers the bulk of annual rainfall to large parts of the country. Hundreds of millions of people depend on it directly or indirectly, particularly farmers whose planting and harvesting cycles are tied to seasonal rains.
El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern marked by unusually warm waters in parts of the Pacific Ocean. It can alter wind systems and rainfall patterns across the world, including by suppressing monsoon precipitation in South Asia. Scientists have warned that human-driven climate change may intensify weather extremes by adding heat and moisture to the atmosphere, increasing the risks of severe droughts, floods and heat waves.
