Farmers and agriculture
Rabi planning, soil moisture and where to read the agromet advisory. This is not personal farm advice.
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- Rabi 2026–27 checklist for rain-fed farmers
The 2026 monsoon ended at 87% of normal, and many districts in the south and east got much less.
- Your district already has a weather contingency plan
When the monsoon fails or turns erratic, farmers often ask what they should sow instead.
- Choosing lower-water crops and varieties in a dry year
After a weak monsoon, the most important farming decision is often what not to sow.
- Soil moisture: mulching and field bunds after a dry monsoon
When the monsoon is weak, the water already in the soil is precious. Two simple practices, mulching and field bunds, help it last longer.
- Drip and sprinkler basics, and where to find subsidy
After a weak monsoon, groundwater and reservoir water must stretch further. Micro-irrigation, meaning drip and sprinkler systems, is one of the most direct ways to grow more with less water.
- Farm ponds and water harvesting before the next rains
A dry year is a reminder to catch more water when rain does come. A farm pond stores run-off from your own field so you can use it later.
- Livestock care in heat: shade, water and feed timing
Hot weather is hard on animals too. Heat stress cuts milk yield and can kill.
- Crop insurance (PMFBY): when and how to enrol
In a year when El Niño raises the risk of dry spells and heat, crop insurance is one of the few tools that protects income.
- Using IMD agromet advisories and the Meghdoot app
In a year when the rain is uneven, small decisions matter: when to sow, when to irrigate, when to hold off spraying.
- Fodder planning for a dry winter
A weak monsoon means less grass and crop residue in many districts, and fodder can run short before the next rains.