Q1. Explain how unpredictable behaviour of monsoon leads to frequent droughts resulting in acute scarcity of food and fodder?
- Monsoon unpredictability includes late onset, early withdrawal, and prolonged dry spells.
- Erratic monsoon directly causes meteorological and agricultural droughts due to rainfall deficits.
- Droughts lead to food scarcity through crop failure and reduced yields of rainfed staples.
- Fodder scarcity results from degraded pastures and failed fodder crops, impacting livestock.
Answer: Rainfed farming systems, which constitute a significant portion of agriculture, particularly in regions like India, are inherently dependent on the monsoon for water supply. The unpredictable behavior of the monsoon is the primary driver of frequent droughts, leading to severe scarcity of both food and fodder. This unreliability manifests in several critical ways that directly impact agricultural productivity. One major aspect of unpredictable monsoon behavior is the late onset or early withdra...