Karnataka monsoon deficit: Farmers in Mandya urged to shift to short-duration, dryland crops
Due to a significant monsoon rainfall deficit, officials in Mandya, Karnataka, are urging farmers to switch from water-intensive long-duration crops to short-duration, dryland alternatives. The local government is prioritizing existing water reserves for drinking and livestock needs.
Why it matters
Climate-induced water scarcity poses a direct threat to agricultural livelihoods and food security, necessitating adaptive farming strategies.
With the southwest monsoon failing to bring adequate rainfall , Mandya Deputy Commissioner Dr. Kumar has urged farmers to shift from long-duration crops to short-duration and low-water-consuming crops.
At a meeting with Agriculture Department officials at his office here on Friday (August 21, 2026), Dr. Kumar said the availability of water needed to sustain long-duration crops was likely to remain limited due to the rainfall deficit.
He directed officials to encourage farmers to cultivate semi-dryland crops such as ragi, jowar, sesame, cowpea, black gram and horse gram, which require less water and can be harvested in a shorter period. Such crops would be better suited to the prevailing rainfall conditions, he said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in