ABSTRACT
The Purulia district of West Bengal is considered as a drought-prone area where rainfall seems to be a limiting factor for the successful growth of agriculture along with the groundwater recharge potential. The area receives rainfall of more than 1,200 mm but after a short spell of heavy showers, water moves as overland flow following the undulating terrain. The rocky terrain associated with the deep-seated crystalline rocks originated during the pre-Cambrian era prevents the water from percolating through the soil profile and joining with the groundwater table. The oscillation of the groundwater table is also responsible for the lack of soil moisture potential in the study area. Even the soil may attain the wilting point stage more specifically during the non-rainy season. In the present study, an attempt has been made to identify the overall climatic extremeness of the area along with the nature and characteristics of different types of droughts through the computation of different indices and their impact on the tribal agriculture. The present study also aims to highlight the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in agriculture caused by the different types of droughts. The study has also applied the analytical hierarchy process modelling for the selection of an appropriate adaptation strategy against the climatic extremes in the study area.
