Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts of Drought in India: Lessons for Drought Management

Chandra Prakash Kala^1,

¹Ecosystem & Environment Management, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Nehru Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Cite this paper:
Chandra Prakash Kala. Environmental and Socioeconomic Impacts of Drought in India: Lessons for Drought Management. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences. 2017; 5(2):43-48. doi: 10.12691/aees-5-2-3

Abstract

The frequency and intensity of droughts have been elevated in the present century in India, and in 2016 alone, about 330 million people spread across 10 Indian states had affected by drought due to two consecutive years of weak monsoons. The agriculture sector, which is mostly rainfed in India, remains the centre of discourse on adverse effects of drought despite the fact that drought affects the larger ecological, environmental, social and economical settings. Since the impacts of drought are radiated to different sectors, it is imperative to study the consequences of drought on various sectors linked with human wellbeing. With this background, the present study aims to analyze various impacts of drought on ecosystems, environment and communities. Based on the review of information, the study further explores solutions for management of drought in India.

Keywords:
drought impacts agriculture environment natural disaster drought management

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