Naidu Calls for Advance Irrigation to Avert Cyclone Risks Strategy in Place to Cultivate Three Crops a Year
Naidu advocates advanced irrigation to mitigate cyclone risks in Andhra Pradesh. State implements strategy for three-crop cultivation yearly, boosting agricultural resilience.
Naidu Calls for Advance Irrigation to Avert Cyclone Risks Strategy in Place to Cultivate Three Crops a Year
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed agriculture officials to advance the crop season to protect Kharif crops from cyclones.
Acting on these instructions, the Agriculture Department has already initiated early release of irrigation water to the Godavari and Krishna delta regions. During a review meeting at the Undavalli camp office on Tuesday, officials briefedNaidu on these developments.
Water has already been released through canals to farmlands in West Godavari, Eluru, Konaseema, East Godavari, Kakinada, and Krishna districts. Plans are in place to supply irrigation water to Guntur, Bapatla, and Prakasam districts in the first week of July. Officials noted that paddy, red gram, groundnut, and cotton are the primary crops during the Kharif season. While groundnut and cotton cultivation has declined, red gram has seen an increase and paddy cultivation remains stable.
According to official sources, Andhra Pradesh has faced 14 cyclones in the last 20 years—five in October, six in November, and three in December. October cyclones have particularly impacted the north coastal region and the East Godavari district.
The Chief Minister emphasised that farmland should remain green throughout the year and directed officials to adopt a three-crop policy and instructed cultivation of summer crops next year on five lakh acres across north coastal Andhra, Godavari, and Krishna delta regions.
In districts like Anantapur, farming occurs for only four months a year, leaving land fallow for the remaining eight months, leading to soil nutrient depletion. Naidu stressed the need to utilize these eight months for cultivating additional crops and directed officials to prepare farmers in 141 mandals where water resources are available for summer farming—19 with reservoirs, 57 with tanks, and 65 dependent on groundwater. He also called for promoting fine varieties of paddy that are in high demand to boost the income of the farmers.
The officials informed him that new agriculture-related services have been launched on the WhatsApp Governance – Mana Mitra platform: crop insurance, agricultural mechanization, and MARKFED services.
