The drought affects household economy directly by reducing livestock production and wage opportunities and indirectly through a rise in food prices. The hot arid region experiences an annual rainfall between 200 and 350 mm. It comes under the influence of subtropical high pressure belt extending from northwest Africa to Asia. The Indian hot arid zone occupies an area of 0.42 million km 2 forming a continuous stretch in the north western state of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and scattered land masses in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, 70 per cent of it falls in western Rajasthan. Low and erratic rainfall extreme temperatures long sunshine duration (6.6-11 hours) low relative humidity ( 30-80 per cent ) high wind velocity (9-13km/h) and high vapour transpiration (1600-1800 mm ) and characteristic features of the region. Moreover the soils are poor in nutrients and scarcity of water and recurring droughts are perennial constraints. Despite hostile conditions, the western arid Rajasthan supports a large human and livestock population and a variety of flora and fauna. However the ever increasing human and livestock population and development activities exert enormous pressure on the slander nature resource in the regional. To enhance farm productivity and income in rural areas through crop-livestock integrate production system and creating multiple livelihood opportunities through sustainable management of natural resources i.e. land and water and articulating basic parameter of agriculture development by promoting value addition agro processing post-harvest management agri-business, marketing of agriculture produce, crop diversification use of biotechnology, information and communication techniques ensuring timely availability of inputs ( seed, fertilizers and pp chemicals and bio-agents) efficient crop insurance and easy access for credit to farmer so as to become a developed state through sustainable use of human, natural and other resources.
Dileep Kumar Scientist (Agril. Ext.) R.R.S. CAZRI, Jaisalmer Rajasthan
Deepak Chaturvedi Senior Scientist & Head (Agril. Extn.) K.V.K. Jaisalmer, S.K.R.A.U., Bikaner Rajasthan
R.K. Yadav Assistant Professor (Agronomy) K.V.K. Jaisalmer, S.K.R.A.U., Bikaner Rajasthan
Sankar Lal Assistant Professor (Animal Production) K.V.K. Jaisalmer, S.K.R.A.U., Bikaner Rajasthan
Harjindra Singh Assistant Professor (Entomology) K.V.K. Jaisalmer, S.K.R.A.U., Bikaner Rajasthan
