Monsoon Deficit and Agricultural Resilience Flashcards

This set of flashcards covers vocabulary and key concepts related to the Indian monsoon deficit, climate phenomena like El Niño, and their impacts on agriculture as described in the lecture notes.

El Niño

A climate phenomenon that suppresses the vertical air movement needed for raincloud formation and weakens trade winds that bring moisture to the subcontinent.

IMD

The India Meteorological Department, which, along with the U.S. NOAA, expects a moderate-to-strong El Niño this year.

Madden-Julian Oscillation

An atmospheric phenomenon currently in an unfavourable phase, contributing to the nation-wide monsoon deficit.

Indian Ocean Dipole

A climate pattern in the Indian Ocean that currently cannot offer a buffer against moisture deficits.

southwest monsoon deficit

A nationwide rainfall shortage that has increased from $35\,\%$ to $43\,\%$, threatening agricultural produce.

Idukki

A location in the Western Ghats where high heat and rain shortfall have created anxiety regarding the cardamom harvest.

kharif sowing window

The planting season for rice, pulses, and oilseeds that is currently under pressure due to climate conditions and fertilizer availability.

Retail food inflation

An economic indicator that was $4.2\,\%$ in April; it faces threats from deficits in vegetables and pulses.

water-centric organisation

An ideal sustainable strategy to switch from rain-centric systems to improve agricultural resilience.

Jal Shakti Ministry

One of the government bodies, along with the Agriculture Ministry and the IMD, that manages currently fragmented cropping governance.