City scientists have decoded the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, which causes less rain, thereby affecting overall farm productivity in Andhra Pradesh. El Nino triggers changes in climate at the regional level, primarily affecting agricultural production. In a first-of-its-kind study on the El Nino effect on Indian agriculture, a team of researchers from the city-based Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (Crida) has found that El Nino is more pronounced in Rayala-seema than in Telangana followed by coastal Andhra. Districts like Anantapur and Kurnool experience the negative effect by more than 20 per cent in the average southwest monsoon rainfall.
The team comprised V.U.M. Rao, A.V.M. Subba Rao, B. Bapuji Rao, B.V. Ramana Rao, C. Sravani and B. Venkateswarlu. According to Crida scientists, the performance of the southwest monsoon in the country has a tele-link with the El Nino. They found an inverse relationship between El Nino and the southwest monsoon’s rainfall in India. The research study included the impact on the productivity of crops like rice, groundnut, castor, pigeonpea, chickpea and pearl millet.
The average southwest monsoon rainfall received during the years with El Nino was found to be lesser when compared to that of normal years, and the average rainfall during the northeast monsoon in coastal Andhra was higher. Either the southwest monsoon rainfall or the annual rainfall will be less during the years with El Nino.
Barring Nellore, the average total food grain production throughout the state declined during the El Nino years. The decrease in production was more than 10 per cent in some districts. Anantapur recorded 10 per cent fall in groundnut production. During Kharif, there was a decline in production of rice by 12 per cent in the State. When the total food grain production, excluding rice, was examined, the decline in production and productivity was more than 25 per cent.