--- title: "Telangana farmers urged to cut paddy as El Niño deepens water concerns" url: https://projectchintan.com/article/telangana-farmers-cut-paddy-el-nino-h74t7 publisher: Project Chintan author: Project Chintan Newsroom section: Politics published: 2026-08-16T14:33:12.566Z modified: 2026-08-16T16:30:06.729Z language: en-IN --- # Telangana farmers urged to cut paddy as El Niño deepens water concerns Telangana farmers were advised to reduce paddy cultivation and diversify to water-saving crops amid El Niño-driven rainfall deficits. The guidance came at a Nalgonda seminar, warning that reservoir levels and groundwater are under stress and that water for Nagarjuna Sagar may be uncertain. ## Key takeaways - Agricultural leaders advised reducing paddy cultivation in Telangana amid El Niño-related water stress. - Diversification to pulses, oilseeds, and millets is recommended to conserve water and adapt to uncertain reservoir inflows. - Groundwater depletion linked to borewell use is noted as a background concern alongside falling reservoir levels. - Farmers should assess local water availability before transplanting paddy nurseries. - Government coordination is urged to support diversification and ensure remunerative prices. ## What Happened At a farmers’ seminar in Nalgonda, Aldas Janaiah, the vice-chancellor of Professor Jayashankar State Agricultural University, urged farmers to scale back paddy cultivation and switch to water-saving crops like pulses, oilseeds, and millets. The advice was framed around ongoing El Niño impacts and below-normal rainfall across the state, with expectations that water from Nagarjuna Sagar and SRSP reservoirs may not suffice for fresh paddy transplantation. Janaiah noted a rainfall deficit of about 10–12% statewide, with eight districts experiencing a shortfall nearing 30%. He advised farmers to avoid panicking over the deficit and to view diversification as a strategic response to changing weather conditions. Specific guidance included reducing paddy from four acres to at least two acres devoted to pulses, oilseeds, or other dryland crops if feasible. The vice-chancellor highlighted that paddy requires substantial water and chemical fertilisers, and that heavy reliance on borewells has contributed to groundwater depletion. As reservoir levels fall, he warned that water availability could become more uncertain in the coming months. Farmers who have already raised paddy nurseries were told to assess local water availability before transplanting. He cautioned that paddy cultivation dependent entirely on Nagarjuna Sagar water carries a significant risk of crop failure, given current conditions that could persist through September. Forecasts indicated that any substantial rainfall later in the season might benefit a second crop or early Yasangi cultivation more than the present Vanakalam paddy crop. ## Why It Matters The guidance signals a shift in farming strategy in response to climate-related water stress and reduced reservoir inflows. If producers follow the diversification approach, there could be implications for regional crop mixes, input use, and potential price dynamics for pulses and oilseeds. The seminar underscored the need for coordinated government action to support crop diversification and ensure remunerative prices, alongside involving the Agriculture Department, irrigation authorities, and agricultural institutions. ## Background El Niño is affecting rainfall patterns, with the state experiencing below-normal precipitation. The discussion took place in the context of concerns about groundwater depletion linked to borewell use and falling reservoir levels, factors already influencing farming decisions and water planning in the region. ## Key Facts - Venue: Nalgonda, Telangana - Speaker: Aldas Janaiah, Vice-Chancellor of Professor Jayashankar State Agricultural University - Rainfall deficit: approximately 10–12% statewide - District shortfall: nearly 30% in eight districts - Advised cropping shift: from paddy to pulses, oilseeds, or other dryland crops - Paddy transplantation guidance: avoid based on water expectations from Nagarjuna Sagar and SRSP reservoirs - Water concerns: reservoir levels falling; groundwater depletion linked to borewells - Season forecast: conditions may persist until September - Rainfall later in season: may benefit second crop or Yasangi more than current Vanakalam paddy - Stakeholders: Telangana Rythu Sangham and various farmer groups called for government support and price measures ## What Happens Next Farmers who raised paddy nurseries were advised to evaluate local water availability before transplanting, suggesting a cautious approach to field operations in the near term. The seminar called for coordinated government action to support diversification and ensure remunerative prices, though explicit next steps or schedules were not detailed in the report. --- Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/telangana-farmers-cut-paddy-el-nino-h74t7 Reported from: Multiple Sources