Now Reading: Andhra farmers urged to shift from paddy amid drought
-
01
Andhra farmers urged to shift from paddy amid drought
NTR district collector and Irrigation Advisory Board chairman Dr G Lakshmisha has urged farmers to avoid paddy cultivation and opt for alternative crops during the Kharif-2026 season due to drought conditions caused by Super El Nino. He chaired the fifth IAB meeting in Vijayawada on Thursday and reviewed water availability in the Krishna Eastern Delta.
Dr Lakshmisha said deficient rainfall has reduced water levels in Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs, and upstream projects have also received poor inflows. Only about 25 TMC of water in Pulichintala Reservoir is usable and must be conserved for drinking water needs until June 2027. He said drinking water for over 60 lakh people in five districts is the top priority.
Separately, Guntur district collector CM Sai Kanth Varma also urged farmers to shift to nature farming and alternative crops, and to enrol in crop insurance. Both collectors emphasised covering every crop under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to protect farmers from losses.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both articles from The Hans India report the same official appeal to farmers but frame it differently. The first article from Vijayawada leads with the drought crisis and water scarcity figures, emphasising the collector's directive to avoid paddy and the government's drinking water priority. The second from Guntur leads with the opportunity in nature farming, a softer frame that avoids the word drought. Neither article includes farmer opposition or independent analysis. The measured takeaway is that the administration is managing a real water shortage, but the success depends on farmer uptake of alternative crops and insurance, with no enforcement mechanism mentioned.
Watch for rainfall data in August 2026 and reservoir levels in early September.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 pro-government
Sources (2): thehansindia.com (pro government), thehansindia.com (2) (pro government)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
