Spatial and temporal responses of different crop-growing environments to agricultural drought: a study in Haryana state, India using NOAA AVHRR data

Spatial and temporal responses to agricultural drought of different districts with different crop-growing environments were assessed using National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)-derived monthly time composite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images of a drought year (2002) and a normal year (2004) in Haryana state, one of the most prolific agricultural states of India. The seasonal NDVI profiles derived from NOAA AVHRR data, despite coarse spatial resolution, successfully captured the response of vulnerable districts to drought events. The greenness (NDVI) in mid-season and at the end of the season of drought and normal years was compared. Districts having less irrigation support due to insufficient canal supplies and poor quality of groundwater had very high NDVI deviation from normal, signifying the impact of severe drought conditions in terms of reduced/delayed sown area, poor germination etc. in the year 2002. The districts with high irrigation support (surface water plus good quality groundwater) have either higher NDVI or insignificant deviation from a normal year and are not influenced by meteorological drought. Thus, quality of groundwater in different districts is a key factor to determine the vulnerability and sensitivity of the district to meteorological drought events in the study area state. The results of the study are relevant for vulnerability mapping and drought hazard zonation in the state to aid in-season and long-term management of droughts.