An Early Warning System for Agricultural Drought

Droughts are one of the most feared natural calamities in India. It is a natural, recurring feature of climate which stems from the lack of rainfall over an extended period of time. The spatial extent of drought is much greater than any other natural hazard as it makes agricultural land incapable of supporting healthy growth of crops. This leads to a low yield that has drastic effects on future water supply, food consumption and the Indian economy. A large portion of India's population is directly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. Designing an Early Warning System will help in deducing critical drought mitigation measures to help in immediate relief during drought conditions.