The threat of deficient rainfall is emerging as a key concern for India's upcoming Rabi season, with El Niño raising the risk of drier-than-normal conditions and prompting authorities to strengthen preparedness measures.
The concerns were raised during the two-day National Agriculture Conference – Rabi Campaign 2026, which got underway in New Delhi on Monday, NDTV reported.
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Officials and agricultural experts examined measures to mitigate the impact of increasingly unpredictable weather, inadequate water availability and shifting climatic conditions.
Mangi Lal Jat, Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), said India needs to prepare for the possibility of inadequate rainfall during the Rabi season in the context of El Niño.
“In the context of El Niño, we need to prepare for the possibility of deficient rainfall during the Rabi season and plan accordingly,” Jat said. He added district-level contingency plans had been prepared to help farmers and local administrations respond to weather-related disruptions.
A dynamic dashboard has also been developed to support decision-making and monitor conditions during the Rabi season. The discussions assume significance as weather variability continues to pose risks to agricultural production, particularly in regions dependent on rainfall.
The meeting also comes amid a warning from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations agency that monitors weather, climate, hydrology and geophysics. The WMO has cautioned that the risks associated with extreme weather events, including floods, droughts and heatwaves, are increasing globally.
The agriculture conference is expected to focus on strengthening preparedness, improving water management and ensuring that district-level response plans can be activated quickly if rainfall conditions deteriorate.
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