Your district already has a weather contingency plan

When the monsoon fails or turns erratic, farmers often ask what they should sow instead. India already has an official starting point: District Agriculture Contingency Plans.

What exists. The Ministry of Agriculture told the Lok Sabha in March 2025 that ICAR has assessed climate risk and vulnerability for 651 predominantly agricultural districts. Of these, 310 were found vulnerable: 109 'very high' and 201 'highly vulnerable'. Contingency plans have been prepared for all 651 districts. They recommend location-specific, climate-resilient crops, varieties and management practices for state agriculture departments to use when the weather goes wrong.

How to use your plan. ICAR-CRIDA's crop contingency page lets you choose a state and district. Each profile lists the district's soils, main crops, irrigation and sowing windows, alongside contingency strategies. Read the part that matches what happened this season, then talk to your Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) or agriculture office about which option suits your own land, water and market.

Hardier seeds. Between 2014 and 2024, ICAR released 2,593 crop varieties, and 2,177 of them tolerate one or more stresses, such as drought, heat or pests. Ask your KVK which ones are available locally.

This year's weak monsoon in parts of the south makes it a good time to look up your district's plan before the rabi decisions are made.

Join the El Niño help room on soshyal.com to ask questions and share what you see in your area.