Disaster Management Support

Agricultural Drought

Methodologies for agricultural drought assessment and monitoring using multiple indices combing vegetation parameters , soil moisture, rainfall pattern etc. and national level drought assessment was carried out in NRSC since 1995 . Recently, the technology was transferred to Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India and supported institutionalization.

Presently, research and operational studies are being carried out for identification of agricultural drought vulnerable blocks for long-term drought management and also to provide space Inputs towards to crop insurance and agricultural banking agencies . Presently, agricultural Drought Vulnerability – Assessment and Mapping at Sub-district level for Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra states (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare/ Insurance Companies) is being studied.

Fortnightly NDVI products are generated by NRSC and is disseminated to the users as a regular product through NRSC data Centre for agricultural drought asessement. MODIS satellite derived vegetation indices are also provided in conjunction with IRS data derived information. Various meteorological, spectral indicators and soil moisture index information across the country are hosted in Bhuvan-Drought.