Rajasthan is among India’s most drought-prone states, with more than 60 per cent of the districts in high-risk zones, where recurrent water scarcity and drought occur. Understanding the spatial patterns of drought vulnerability is therefore critical for designing targeted adaptation and resource management strategies. This policy brief presents a geospatial analysis of drought vulnerability and its implications for crop productivity across districts of Rajasthan.
By integrating satellite-derived indicators, climatic variables, and agricultural data, the analysis identifies regions where crop productivity is most sensitive to drought conditions. The study combines drought indicators such as rainfall variability, drought index, and groundwater levels with crop productivity trends to map vulnerability hotspots. The results reveal substantial spatial heterogeneity, with western and northern regions of Rajasthan emerging as critical hotspots exhibiting higher vulnerability due to persistent rainfall deficits, limited irrigation coverage, and fragile agro-ecological conditions. The findings highlight the need for localised policy interventions, including climate-resilient crop planning, improved water management, and targeted drought mitigation programs. By leveraging geospatial tools, the policy brief provides a data-driven framework to support state-level planning and strengthen drought resilience in Rajasthan’s agricultural sector.
