Puttaparthi: Sri Sathya Sai District Collector A Shyam Prasad chaired the “Action Plan Review Meeting on El Niño” at Sai Aaramam in Puttaparthi to address severe drought conditions.
The district recorded a 57% rainfall deficit, resulting in crop sowing on only 45% of the normal agricultural area
Assuring the agricultural community of total government support amid prevailing drought conditions, Sri Sathya Sai District Collector A Shyam Prasad urged farmers to adopt protective irrigation, water-efficient technologies, and alternative cropping strategies to combat the adverse impact of El Niño.
Addressing the “Action Plan Review Meeting on El Niño” held at the Sai Aaramam premises in Puttaparthi on Friday, the Collector revealed that adverse weather has caused a 57 percent rainfall deficit, limiting seasonal cultivation to just 45 percent of the normal area.
Despite these natural calamities, he lauded local farmers for achieving commendable yields through resilient management practices.
To mitigate immediate risks, the Collector announced that 16,000 quintals of alternative crop seeds are stocked for distribution at an 80 percent subsidy, while all eligible farmers have been covered under crop insurance schemes.
To conserve groundwater, farmers were advised to dig farm ponds in every field to capture rainfall runoff and adopt drip irrigation systems. Additionally, the district plans to expand the successful Pre-Monsoon Dry Sowing (PMDS) natural farming model from 94,000 acres to 2 lakh acres.
To prevent livestock fodder scarcity, community fodder cultivation will be initiated across 1,000 acres. During the event, agricultural scientists demonstrated portable soil-testing kits and distributed newly developed castor seed varieties.
The Collector also felicitated progressive farmers practicing sustainable agriculture. Key district department heads, agricultural scientists, representatives from non-governmental organizations, and local farmers attended the programme.
