Andhra adopts 4-pillar strategy to fight El Niño kharif impact
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Department on Wednesday said the state had adopted a four-pillar strategy to mitigate the impact of El Niño on Kharif 2026, focusing on water management, climate-resilient farming, allied activities and crop insurance.
Agriculture and allied activities support 62 per cent of the State’s population, while foodgrain production in 2025-26 was estimated at a record 237 lakh MT, the department said.
It added that protecting the sector from the impact of El Niño was a top priority.
“We have adopted a risk-differentiated, four-pillar strategy to mitigate the impact of El Niño on Kharif 2026, focusing on water management, climate-resilient farming, protection of allied sectors and crop insurance,” the department said in a press release.
El Niño can result in a weaker, delayed or irregular monsoon, affecting rain-dependent Kharif crops, the department said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Centre formally declared the onset of El Niño on June 11, while the IRI model ensemble indicated a high probability that the event could be as strong as the 1997-98 El Niño.
Andhra Pradesh recorded a 51 per cent rainfall deficit between June 1 and August 25, compared with a 13 per cent deficit nationally. All 28 districts were in deficit, with 25 in the deficit category and three in the large-deficit category.
The department said it began monitoring the situation in February in consultation with the India Meteorological Department and the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture.
It dynamically risk-graded all 8,489 Rythu Seva Kendrams. At present, 1,357 RSKs are categorised as high risk and 2,077 as moderate risk.
Under the water-based cropping strategy, areas with assured water availability are being supported through early reservoir releases and coordinated planning by the Agriculture and Irrigation departments.
Less water-intensive crops are being promoted in water-limited areas.
The target for Pre-Monsoon Dry Sowing and seed pelleting was set at 23 lakh farmers covering 25 lakh acres. So far, 16.3 lakh farmers have been covered across 18.2 lakh acres.
The Government launched the ‘Rythanna Meekosam (for farmer brothers) – El Niño Effect Mitigation Action Plan – Kharif 2026’ across the state on August 7.
The campaign covers all 8,489 RSKs and 18,513 villages, aiming to reach every farmer and agricultural parcel.
Of the 2.7 crore targeted plots, 2.6 crore (96.9 per cent) have been surveyed, it said.
Crop health data have been updated for 14.3 lakh acres, of which 1.1 lakh acres have been affected-87,686 acres under moisture stress, 15,250 acres withering and 3,731 acres drying up. Kurnool and Nandyal account for the largest affected areas.
The measures comprise life-saving irrigation, protective spraying, mulching, nutrient and plant-protection support, Pre-Monsoon Dry Sowing, seed pelleting, short-duration contingency crops and re-sowing.
Technology is being used through Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Information Management System 2.0 and satellite-based crop health assessments. The department said 189 lakh SMS advisories had been sent to farmers this season.
For horticulture, livestock, fisheries and sericulture, the Government has adopted sector-specific mitigation measures such as micro-irrigation, farm ponds, drought management, climate-smart technologies, disease surveillance and drought-tolerant cultivars, the press release said.
Crop insurance coverage has more than doubled from 7.83 lakh hectares in Kharif 2025 to 16.3 lakh hectares in Kharif 2026, placing Andhra Pradesh fifth nationally in terms of insured area.
The enrolment deadline under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has been extended to August 31.
The department said the total area sown in Kharif 2026 currently stands at 20.3 lakh hectares, compared with 25.6 lakh hectares last year.
Paddy cultivation fell from 11.7 lakh to 10.3 lakh hectares, while pulses rose from 2.1 lakh to 2.6 lakh hectares, reflecting a planned shift based on water availability, it added.
