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. For farmers who depend on rain, the rabi (winter) season starts with less stored soil moisture than usual. These steps come from official guidance.

1. Check soil moisture first. IMD's agromet bulletins advise taking up rabi sowing where there is adequate soil moisture or irrigation, and treating seed before sowing as recommended for the crop.

2. Hold the water in the field. IMD's Karnataka agromet bulletin of 16 October 2026 advises preparing land with compartment bunds and furrows for in-situ soil-moisture conservation, so rain soaks in where it falls.

3. Keep the topsoil working. Repeated light intercultivation in sown crops reduces evaporation loss and controls weeds, according to the same bulletin.

4. Save water for key stages. Where farm ponds or borewells exist, give priority to life-saving irrigation at the critical stages of the crop.

5. Choose the variety and sowing date locally. Your Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) can tell you which varieties and dates suit your soil and this year's conditions.

6. Insure the crop. Under PMFBY, the farmer's premium for rabi foodgrain and oilseed crops is at most 1.5% of the sum insured. Check your state's last date to enrol.

7. Read the advisory twice a week. IMD's Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva issues district agromet advisories every Tuesday and Friday, available on the Meghdoot app.

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