తెలుగు రాష్ట్రాల్లో మారుతున్న రుతుపవనాలు: రైతులకు అర్థం ఏమిటి?

The changing monsoon in the Telugu states: What it means for farmers

"Only when there is rain, there is harvest" — The monsoon is the lifeblood of a Telugu farmer. The tradition of ploughing and sowing seeds as soon as the rains fall in June has been going on for generations. But for the past few years, farmers have been saying the same thing — "The rains are not like before." Observations by meteorologists also confirm this change.

Our two monsoons

• Southwest Monsoon (June–September): The main rainy season for Telangana and most parts of Andhra Pradesh. Kharif crops depend on this.

• Northeast Monsoon (October–December): Important for some parts of South Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are more common during this period.

What is changing?

1. Not the amount of rain, but its pattern: While the overall rainfall for the year is close to average, the pattern of rainfall has changed. Heavy rain falls on a few days, while the rest of the days remain dry.

2. Increase in torrential rains: There has been an increase in incidents of 10–20 cm of rain in a single day. Examples of this include the 2020 Hyderabad floods and floods in recent years in places like Khammam and Vijayawada.

3. Long dry spells: The seedlings are drying up due to lack of rain for two to three weeks after sowing. The seeds have to be sown again.

4. Late arrival, late withdrawal: The onset and end dates of the monsoon have become erratic. Untimely rains in October are damaging the crops that have been harvested.

5. Severe cyclones: Scientists say that cyclones are becoming more intense as the Bay of Bengal warms. Cyclone Hudhud, which devastated Visakhapatnam in 2014, is still remembered.

Why?

As the Earth warms, more moisture is held in the air — meaning more rain falls when it does. Ocean temperatures and Pacific Ocean conditions like El Niño-La Niña also affect our monsoons. Local deforestation and urbanization also have an impact.

How should farmers prepare?

• Use weather information: India Meteorological Department (IMD) alerts, government apps like "Meghdoot", "Mausam", and advisories from agricultural universities are available for free.

• Sowing time: Agricultural scientists suggest that it is better to sow after sufficient moisture has reached the soil (about 50–60 mm of rain) rather than sowing just before the first rain.

• Drought-tolerant varieties: Choose seed varieties that ripen in a short period and are drought-tolerant.

• Intercropping and mixed crops: Planting two to three crops instead of relying on a single crop can reduce losses.

• Water storage: farm ponds, irrigation ditches, mulching.

• Crop Insurance: Enroll in insurance schemes like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana on time. Get e-crop/crop registration done properly.

• Alternative plan: The Department of Agriculture releases "contingency plans" for what crops to plant if rain is delayed — contact the Mandal Agriculture Officer.

What should governments do?

Village-level weather stations, timely insurance compensation, water storage structures, early warning systems in flood-prone areas, and adequate research on climate change — these are essential.

Conclusion

We cannot control the monsoons, but we can adapt to them. Only by combining science and traditional experience in farming can the Telugu farmer survive in a changing environment.

Photo: Vraj Acharya, WELL Labs / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)