Farms of despair: Tur dal, soybean, paddy destroyed

Madhya Pradesh is experiencing one of the worst droughts ever. Thirty eight of the 50 districts are drought hit and drying crops are ravaged by pests. That's the bleak reality farmers are waking up to every morning.

The tur daal crop on Behari Lal's field is dead. The soybean is struggling to germinate, and drying crop is being ravaged by pests. The rains have suddenly arrived, rather late, and there is no guarantee it will stay.

"These rains have rekindled our hope. But if it doesn't continue to rain, there will be nothing left," said Behari Lal.

The rain deficit in Madhya Pradesh is about 40 per cent. The state is the highest producer of soybean in the country. But 15 per cent of the crop has failed in the dry spell in July. So has 50 per cent of the paddy and 50 per cent of pulses.

"We are facing the biggest drought of this century. If it doesn't rain, we will also face a drinking water crisis starting this month," said Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh.
 
With monsoon playing hide and seek, it's gradually becoming a farm of despair. With nature failing the farmers, will the government come to their rescue?