Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A central team reviewing the drought situation in the district witnessed the distress of farmers whose crops have withered due to a prolonged lack of rainfall. During its visit to Demni Shivar, the team saw parched, cracked fields that reflected the hardships faced by cultivators who had invested their money, labour and hopes in the Kharif season.
For a farmer, sowing seeds is not merely an agricultural activity; it is also an investment in the hope of a good harvest and a secure livelihood. Rainfall and fertile soil help these hopes take root, but when the rains fail, crops wither and farmers face the prospect of losing both their investment and their expected income. The fields at Demni offered a stark picture of this reality.
The central team was led by Muktanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary and Chief Executive Officer in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The team included Sunil Kumar Dubey, Deputy Director at the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre; Dr Jaspal Singh, Advisor at NITI Aayog; and Dr Sakshi Bhadauria, Livestock Officer in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
State Agriculture Secretary Parimal Singh, District Collector Vinay Gowda GC, District Superintending Agriculture Officer Deepak Gawali, Sub-Divisional Officer Dr Vyankat Rathod and other officials accompanied the team during the inspection.
The team visited fields in the Demni area on Thursday morning to assess crop damage firsthand and understand the situation beyond the figures and statistics available in official reports. It interacted with local farmers to gather information about the lack of rainfall, the extent of crop losses and the difficulties they were facing.
Vilas Shinde, a farmer from Demni, had invested in preparing his land and sowing crops, spending money on seeds, fertilisers and labour. With the rains failing to arrive, however, his efforts were left unrewarded. His experience reflected the uncertainty confronting farmers who have already incurred substantial expenses but now face the possibility of losing their crops and the income they expected from the season.
While administrative assessments rely on data to establish the extent of drought and crop damage, the impact is also evident in the condition of the fields and the uncertainty faced by farming families. For cultivators, a failed crop can affect not only their immediate earnings but also their ability to meet household expenses and prepare for the next agricultural season.
The interaction with farmers gave the central team an opportunity to understand these difficulties directly. The visit was intended to assess the damage on the ground and provide a clearer picture of the consequences of inadequate rainfall. It also reassured farmers that their concerns had been heard and would be considered during the assessment process.
The team assured the farmers that possible assistance would be extended to affected cultivators after an objective assessment of crop damage and the preparation of a relief plan. It said both the Central and State governments were concerned about the severity of the drought and the difficulties faced by farmers. The assessment is expected to help authorities determine the extent of the losses and consider appropriate relief measures for those affected.
