India's top officials met over Kharif readiness amid El Nino
India
India's top officials just met to check how ready we are for this year's Kharif crops, since El Nino is making the weather unpredictable.
The IMD says the monsoon arrived about 10 days late in states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, but rainfall picked up in early July, so there's some hope for farmers.
Agriculture Ministry launches 262-district backup plans
To tackle these challenges, the Agriculture Ministry has rolled out new backup plans for 262 at-risk districts.
ICAR shared fresh guidelines on handling El Nino risks, and teams will be tracking rain, crop progress, and water levels every week.
Plus, there are pushes to get more farmers covered under crop insurance and to make sure rural jobs, food prices, drinking water, and cattle fodder are all being looked after.