A Study of Drought and Its Impact on Socio Economic Conditions of Farmers in Marathwada Region

Abstract

Drought continues to have a significant impact on communities in both developed and newlinedeveloping countries. Around 68 percent of the geographical area of India is drought newlineprone. Maharashtra state has experienced repeated severe droughts over the past newlinedecades, affecting thousands of villages, lakhs of people and livestock. Frequent newlinedroughts in areas have significant short- and long-term impacts on all sectors, newlineespecially the agricultural sector. Many factors contribute to drought conditions, and newlinerainfall is one of them. This study sought to find a relationship between rainfall and newlinedrought conditions in Marathwada. District-level precipitation data from 1901 to 2022 newlineof Marathwada revenue division were collected and analyzed. Precipitation anomalies newlinerelative to rainfall deviation were calculated and the classification is done on the newlinemethods suggested in the drought manual. There is a close correlation between lack of newlinerainfall and drought in the Marathwada region. Social issues such as difficulties in newlinechildren s marriage, addiction, suicide, migration, conflicts, festival celebration, newlinechildren exploitation, domestic violence and increased crime rate are experienced by newlinefarmers during drought conditions. newlineRepeated droughts in the Marathwada region have had dire consequences for newlineagriculture and allied areas. Therefore, the economic situation of farmers affected by newlinedrought is studied. Economic issues such as crop failure, decrease in family income, newlineimpact on dairies and allied business, outstanding of debt, increased prices of food newlinegrain, additional expenses for drinking water, population migration was experienced newlineby farmers during drought conditions. Findings are given on the basis of the survey of newlinefarmers of Marathwada. It is observed that drought has a significant impact on overall newlinesocial as well as economic conditions of farmers. While studying the drought it is newlinenecessary to understand that government strategy in respect to drought management. newlineTo achieve this objective, the study explores drought management measures / str