Climate concerns: Changing rainfall patterns threaten agriculture

In 2024, India experienced extreme weather events on 322 days, up from 318 in 2023, affecting around 4.07 million hectares of crop area

A recent study published in the Reserve Bank of India’s March bulletin highlights a pressing concern — the increasing variability in rainfall and its impact on food-crop production. It reaffirms that agriculture in India still relies heavily on monsoon. While the expansion of modern irrigation facilities and the development of climate-resilient seed varieties have provided some relief, rainfall continues to be a decisive factor. Precipitation during the southwest monsoon remains critical for agricultural production during the kharif season. Erratic rain and drought-like conditions tend to disrupt crop-growing cycles and exacerbate pest and plant-disease problems. In contrast, a spell of good