Andhra Pradesh faced one of its most challenging monsoon seasons in recent years during the 2026 kharif period. Severe rainfall shortages linked to El Niño conditions threatened agricultural operations across the state. Yet through early planning, crop diversification and targeted support measures, the government reported that cultivation continued on a significant scale. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu highlighted these efforts, noting that proactive strategies helped protect farming activity even under difficult weather conditions.
Severe Rainfall Shortfall Across the State
Between the first week of June and August 25, Andhra Pradesh received only 192.8 mm of rainfall against a normal of 393.7 mm. This translated into a deficit of 51 percent. The shortfall was far steeper than the national average for the same period, which stood at around 13 percent below normal. Every one of the state’s 28 districts recorded deficient rainfall, with several classified under large-deficit categories.
Such a pronounced dry spell raised immediate concerns for a state where agriculture supports a large share of the population and rural livelihoods. Soil moisture levels declined in many areas, reservoirs and minor irrigation sources faced pressure, and the risk of delayed or reduced sowing loomed large. Meteorological assessments linked the weak monsoon circulation to broader El Niño influences that had been flagged earlier in the year.
Cultivation Sustained Through Adaptive Measures
Despite the adverse conditions, kharif crops were raised across 20.35 lakh hectares by late August. While this figure was lower than the corresponding period of the previous year, officials described it as a managed outcome rather than a collapse in activity. The reduction largely reflected a deliberate shift away from water-intensive crops in water-scarce zones toward more resilient alternatives.
Pulses recorded a notable increase of 23.6 percent, rising from 2.16 lakh hectares in the previous year to 2.66 lakh hectares. Red gram expanded from 1.92 lakh hectares to 2.30 lakh hectares, while black gram grew from 17,000 hectares to 30,000 hectares. Green gram and soybean also showed higher acreage. Paddy remained the single largest crop at 10.37 lakh hectares, though this represented a decline from the previous year’s corresponding figure. Cotton held steady at approximately 3.97 lakh hectares. These changes indicated a water-budgeted adjustment in cropping patterns rather than widespread abandonment of fields.
Advance Planning and the Mitigation Framework
The state government began monitoring the situation as early as February 2026 after receiving indications of a developing El Niño. Consultations with meteorological and agricultural research institutions informed the preparation of district-wise contingency plans. Risk grading of all 8,489 Rythu Seva Kendrams identified high-risk and moderate-risk locations for focused attention.
A four-pronged strategy guided field-level responses. In areas with irrigation access, crop calendars were advanced and water use optimised. In rain-fed and water-scarce regions, farmers were encouraged to move from paddy toward drought-resilient crops. Natural farming practices, pre-monsoon dry sowing and seed pelleting were expanded. Protective measures for allied sectors and continuous monitoring completed the approach.
On August 7, the government launched the “Raithanna Meekosam – El Niño Impact Mitigation Plan – Kharif 2026” programme statewide. This farmer-centric campaign aimed to deliver location-specific advice, input support and real-time guidance through the existing network of Rythu Seva Kendras. Officials emphasised that the strategy was need-based rather than uniform, allowing responses to vary according to local water availability and soil conditions.
Strengthening Farmer Protection Through Insurance
Alongside agronomic measures, the government significantly expanded crop insurance coverage. Applications rose from 19.5 lakh in Kharif 2025 to 35.1 lakh in Kharif 2026. The insured area nearly doubled from 7.83 lakh hectares to 15.1 lakh hectares, representing an increase of about 108 percent. Special enrolment drives, deadline extensions and outreach to non-loanee farmers contributed to the sharp rise. The expanded coverage was intended to provide a financial safety net against weather-related losses during a high-risk season.
Ongoing Challenges and Monitoring
While the advance planning enabled substantial cultivation to proceed, the rainfall deficit continued to pose risks. Later assessments in September indicated that the overall shortfall remained severe, with crop stress reported in multiple mandals, particularly in districts such as Kurnool, Nandyal and Anantapur. Moisture stress, wilting and drying affected significant areas under red gram, cotton and other crops. Authorities directed field staff to prioritise protective irrigation from every available water source and to update crop health surveys promptly.
The experience underscored the vulnerability of rain-fed agriculture to climate variability while also demonstrating the value of early warning systems, contingency planning and flexible cropping strategies. By identifying risks months in advance and mobilising both technical and institutional resources, the state sought to limit the damage that a 51 percent rainfall deficit could have caused.
Lessons for Climate-Resilient Agriculture
Andhra Pradesh’s response in 2026 offers a practical illustration of adaptive agricultural management under monsoon stress. Shifting acreage toward less water-demanding crops, strengthening insurance penetration, risk-mapping rural service centres and maintaining continuous field monitoring formed the core of the approach. These steps did not eliminate the impact of deficient rainfall, but they helped sustain cultivation on over 20 lakh hectares and provided farmers with alternative options and a degree of financial protection.
As climate patterns grow more unpredictable, such integrated planning—combining meteorological foresight, agronomic flexibility and institutional outreach—will become increasingly important for states heavily dependent on the southwest monsoon. The measures announced by the Agriculture Minister reflected an effort to convert early warnings into concrete field actions, enabling Andhra Pradesh to navigate a difficult kharif season with greater resilience than the raw rainfall figures alone might have suggested.
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