Improving the Drought Resilience of the Small Farmer Agroecosystem

The farming systems followed by farmers in Asia, Africa and Latin America have the potential to deal with the problems thrown up by climate change. This article examines the changing drought ecosystems of poor farmers and also points out that the present paradigm of agricultural development and what it means for small farmers needs to be critically evaluated. Droughts in 2016 affected a quarter of the Indian population (2,55,923 villages in 254 districts in 10 states). Debates over drought preparedness and development priorities have been widespread. Current drought management practices are based on crisis management and are ineffectual. This article attempts to arrive at a better understanding of the changing drought ecosystems of poor farmers. The proposed “ecosystem of drought” framework gives a holistic view of droughts and explores whether living with drought is possible. Lessons from regional traditions raise questions about main-stream agricultural trends