India at COP17 calls for proactive, tech-enabled drought resilience

India calls for a shift from reactive drought response to proactive, technology-enabled drought resilience at UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. India urges strengthening early warning systems, watershed restoration, and climate-resilient agriculture, and flags support mechanisms such as earmarked disaster funds, employment guarantees, and emergency water supplies.

India at UNCCD COP17:

Dimension	Key Details
India’s call: drought-prone areas	India calls for measures in drought-prone areas including watershed restoration, climate-resilient cropping, and stronger early warning systems.
India’s call: support mechanisms	India states drought resilience is supported by disaster funds earmarked for droughts, employment guarantees, and emergency water supplies.
Drought-prone area estimate	Approximately 68% of India’s total sown area is drought-prone.
Guiding authorities for drought management	India’s approach to drought management is guided by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Drought warning system support	The drought warning system is supported by space-based drought forecasting from the India Meteorological Department and the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre.
Intended operational outcome	These systems are intended to ensure that a ‘dry spell’ or rainfall deficit does not immediately translate into a drought situation.
Atal Bhujal Yojana	Atal Bhujal Yojana, introduced in 2019, focuses on community-led groundwater management.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana	Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, introduced in 2015, provides for improving access to water for farmland through check dams, bunds, and other water-conservation measures.
Supplementary measures for farmers	Supplementary measures comprise crop insurance to reduce financial pressure on farmers in the event of drought-related crop losses and reduced incomes.