Vulnerability to agricultural drought in western Orissa: a case study of representative blocks^§

The nature of vulnerability to agricultural drought in three study blocks of Bolangir district in western Orissa has been analysed. The indexing vulnerability vulnerability profile method have been used for assessing the nature of drought capacity coping risk. The study has revealed that the three most influential biophysical factors of drought vulnerability are: rainfall variability intensity drought soil shortage of available waterholding capacity of the three most influential socioeconomic factors are: low irrigation development coverage poor crop insurance blocks smaller forest area. It is found that while drought risk varies widely across the study vulnerability drought moderately physical exposure to drought vary However the coping capacity of study blocks differ marginally. However, the level of coping capacity has been found significantly lower than the level of drought risk and vulnerability in the study blocks.