1. Effective Reorganization of the
Existing Agroclimatic zones based
on the Mandals of Andhra
Pradesh Using GIS technology
K S Prasad PhD Scholar CESS and Director – Kanagiri
Infotech,
Dr Padmanabha Rao- Registrar - Cess

2. Introduction
The total population of india as per the Census of
2012 the total population are 1210.2 million out of
which 833.1 million are Rural Population and 377.1
million are Urban Population..
The Rural Population has been decreasing from 89.2
Percent (1901- Census )to 68.8 percent (2011
Census)
The population in India is increasing at a growth rate
of around 2%per anum, Whereas the availability of
resources particularly cultivable area is decreasing
similarly trends can be observed even in Andhra
Pradesh.

3. Importance of Agriculture
. Agriculture is the main stay of the economy of
Andhra Pradesh with about 70 percent of the
population dependent on Agriculture for their
livelihood.
The state is better placed as per resources are
concerned. It has high Irrigation potential fertile lands,
good soils, vegetation, higher per hectare fertilizer use
and labour inputs, in spite of all these Andhra Pradesh
is not in the forefront and it is not able to achieve
results comparable with available advantage.
It is interesting to note that in spite of high priority
given Irrigation the use of high yielding varieties of
seeds, technology and fertilizer use, The growth of
agriculture productivity was just at about 2 percent per
anum

4. More Production on
Sustainable
. The need for growing more food, on a sustainable basis, to
support the ever-increasing population demands a systematic
appraisal of our natural resources including climate, Soils, Flora
and fauna. Since agriculture is highly location specific, grouping
the available land are in the country into different agro ecological
regions based on certain identifiable characteristics becomes all
the more important.
This may help the country to engage in more rational planning
and optimizing resource use for the present and in preserving
them for the future.
The demand for is not only for food grains but also fruits
vegetables and animal products. The total demand for food
grains is projected to touch 280 million tone by the year 2020-21
to achieve this a growth rate of more than 2 percent per anum in
food production

5. Second Green revolution
. Everyone in the scientific community feels the
need of the hour is the second green revolution
and that should be broad based with more
sustainable and there is a need to produce more
without depleting the natural resources

6. Growth rate of Population
. Andhrapradesh has a population of 84.6million
according to 2011 census. The state thus stands
fifth largest in terms of both population size and
land area aiming Indian states. The growth rate of
population in the 2011s (1.2 percent per annum)
is significantly lower than the earlier decades (2.4)
After a high growth rate of more than two percent
for two decades; the growth rate came down to a
very low level of 1.2 percent per anum. This is a
remarkable achievement for the state

7. Agriculture Dependent on Climate
.
It is an established fact that agriculture is highly
dependent on soil and climate along with various
other factors, which together form the agro-
ecological setting. Cropping pattern and allocation
of inputs are very much dependent on the agro-
ecological condition of the site.

8. Agroclimatic Zones
. . Agro-Climatic zones under NARP
The Country has been divided into 131 agro-climatic
zones under the World Bank supported National
Agricultural Research Project (NARP) of the
ICAR, essentially based on climate, soils, and existing
cropping patterns of each state as a unit.

9. Methodology

10. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
Based on the climate parameters i.e., rainfall and
temperature, the State of Andhra Pradesh is
broadly divided into 9 distinct Agro-Climatic
Zones.
The agriculture planning for each zone is
supported with the research and
recommendations of a Regional Agriculture
Research Station of ANGRAU set up with in the
particular zone.

11. Existing Agro Climatic Zones

12. Relief Map Of Andhra
Pradesh

13. Legend
7.1 3.9
Deccan (Telengana) Eastern Ghat) A.P.: Cuddapah, Kurnool Ustorthents, 700-750
K6Dd3 (90-120)
Plateau hot semi-arid ecosystem with Maharashtra: Satara and Rhodustalfs, (1800-1900)
mixed red and black soils and Sangli, Solapur, Osmanabad, Ustropepts, 28-29°C
GP 90-120 days and GP 90-120 days Bid, Ahmadnagar Chromusterts,
Pellusterts
7.2 9.2
Deccan (Telengana, Plateau, hot semi- A.P.: Karimnagar, Rhodustalfs, 700-1000
K6Dm4 (120-150)
arid ecosystem with mixed red and Rangareddi, Hyderabad, Haplustalfs, (1600-1800)
black soils and GP 120-150 days and Warangal, Khammam, Pellusterts, 25-29°C
GP 90-120 days Mahboobnagar, Ustropepts,
Nalgonda, Chromusterts,
Sangareddi, Medak Pellusterts
7.3 3.4
Eastern Ghat, hot, moist semi-arid A.P.: Western parts Haplustalf 800-1000
H6Dm/Cd5 (150-180)
dry subhumid ecosystem with mixed (highlands) of Eluru Ustropepts (1500-1800)
red and black soils and GP 150-180 (W. Godavari and Krishna Chromustert 24-25°C
days and GP (machillipatnam) Guntur and Pellustert
Ongole (Prakasam) and Rhodustalfs

14. Legend
12.2 (3.3)
Eastern Ghat, hot moist subhumid A.P.: Western highlands of Haplustalfs, 1400-1700
H2Cm6 180-210
ecosystem with Red and Lateritic soils Vishakhapatnam, Vizianagram Ustochrepts, (1400-
1600)
and GP 180-210 days Orissa: Western highlands of Haplaquepts, 26-27°C
18.3 2.0
Eastern Coastal (Andhra) Plain, hot dry A.P.: Coastal plain of Ustifluvents, 900-1100
S7Cd5 150-180
subhumid ecosystem with coastal and W. Godavari, Krishna and Ustropepts, (1700-1800)
deltaic alluvium-derived soils and Guntur, Prakasham and Chromusterts, 28-29°C
GP 150-180 days Nellore Paleusterts,
Rhodustalfs,
Ustorthents,
Haplustalfs
18.4 3.2
Eastern Coastal (Utkal) Plain, hot dry A.P.: Srikakulam, Coastal Halaquepts, 1200-1500
S7Dd6 (180-210)
subhumid ecosystem with coastal and plains of E. Godavari Fluvaquents, (1600-1700)
deltaic alluvium- derived soils and (Kakinada) Vishakhapatnam, Haplaquepts, 26-27°C
GP 180-210 days Vizianagaram Ustifluvents

15. Relief Map Of Andhra
Pradesh

16. Relief Map Of Andhra
Pradesh

18. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
temp Soils Crops
Rainfall
Geographi
Name of head No. of No. of Res.
Sl. No. Districts cal area
the Zone quarters mandals Stations.
(lakh ha)
1000 – Max 33.36 : Red soils Rice,
Srikakula 1100 mm & Min with clay sugarcane,
North m, Vizian 26.27 base, groundnut,
Anakapall
1 Coastal agaram, Pockets of pearlMillet 18.5 88 5
e
Zone Visakhap acidic and finger
atnam millet
based
East
Godavari Godavari,
2 Maruteru 17.5 96 6
Zone West
Godavari

19. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
temp Soils Crops
Rainfall
Geographi
Name of head No. of No. of Res.
Sl. No. Districts cal area
the Zone quarters mandals Stations.
(lakh ha)
800 –1100 Max 32.36 Deltaic Rice-
Krishna,
Krishna mm & Min alluvium, based
3 Guntur, Lam 37.70 161 12
Zone 23.24 Red soils
Prakasam
with clay,
700 –1100 Red loamy Rice and
Chittoor, mm Max 33.46 soils, groundnut
Southern
4 Kadapa, Tirupati & Min Shallow to based 41.70 161 8
Zone
Nellore 23.25 moderately
deep.

20. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
temp Soils Crops
Rainfall
Geographi
Name of head No. of No. of Res.
Sl. No. Districts cal area
the Zone quarters mandals Stations.
(lakh ha)
900 –1500 Max 30.37 : Chalkas, Sorghum,
mm & Min red Sandy rice and
21.25 Soils, maize
Dubbas, based
Karimnag Deep Red
Northern
ar, Nizam Loamy
5 Telangan Jagtial 35.50 144 6
abad, Adi soils,
a Zone
labad Very deep
Black
Soils.

21. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
temp Soils Crops
Rainfall
Geographi
Name of head No. of No. of Res.
Sl. No. Districts cal area
the Zone quarters mandals Stations.
(lakh ha)
Warangal
Central
,
6 Telangan Warangal 30.60 132 7
Khamma
a Zone
m, Medak
Mahbubn 700 –900 Max 28.34 Red Sorghum,ri
agar, mm & Min earths ce and
Nalgonda 22.23 with castor
Southern
, loamy based
7 Telangan Palem 39.30 164 6
Rangared sub-soils
a Zone
dy (+ (Chalkas
Hyderaba
d)

22. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
temp Soils Crops
Rainfall
Geographi
Name of head No. of No. of Res.
Sl. No. Districts cal area
the Zone quarters mandals Stations.
(lakh ha)
500 – 750 : Max Ground,so
mm 32.36 o rghum,set
Scarce Kurnool,
Centigrad ari
8 Rainfall Anantapu Nandyal 36.2 117 5
e Min ,rice and
zone r
24.30 cotton
based
High
Altitude
& Tribal
Areas of
Srikakula
High m,
1200 mm Rice and
Altitude Visakhap Chintapal

23. Existing Agro Climatic Zones
Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh is mostly
dependent on rainfall.
Agricultural production depends upon the
seasonal distribution of rainfall. In the State,
South-West and North-East Monsoons are the
two important periodic winds, which are the
important sources of the rain. South-West
Monsoon (66%) is spread over the period from
June to September and North-East Monsoon
(24%) (From October to December).

24. Objective of the Study
The Objective of the Study is that we need to
reorganize the agro climatic zones based on the
mandal and it should be on micro level and not on
broad based

25. Agroclimatic - Zonation
Initially the Agro climatic zones were classified in to
Seven Zones
Krishan and Godavari has been divided in two zones
and North Telangana and South Telangana regions
are further divided in to three North
telangana, Central Telngana and Southern telangana
We have seen in the case of Telnagana and it has
been divided into three broad agrolimatic zones based
on their physical location and Charcterstics of the
map namely 1. North Telngana 2. Central Telangana
and 3. Southern Telangana

26. Cont….
Coming to Rayala seema the classification has bee done based
on the rainfall Criteria for districts namely Kurnool and
Ananthapur and named as Scarce rainfall Zone.
Other Two districts namely Chittor and Cuddaph and including
one district of Coastal region has classified in to Sothern Zone.
Costal region has classified in three regions North Coastal Zone,
Godavari Zone and Krishna Zone one district of Coastal Andhra
Nellore has been added to the Rayalasemma
One zone has been identified based on the physiography
naming as High altitude zone comprising of several mandal of
coastal and telangan districts

27. Crops

28. Rainfall – District Averages 1963-
2010
Rayalasemma Ananthap Kurnool Cuddapa Chittoor
ur h
Rainfall ( MM) 509 mm 595mm 662mm 864mm
1963-2002
Average annual
Rainfall totals
Telan Adb K Nzbd W Meda NLG H RRDIS M Khm
gana a N k Y T h
ri G D b
m L n
n g
a r
g
a
r
Avera 979 8 938 9 842 643 7 728 5 1039
ge 3 2 6 5
Annu 4 5 5 3
al
rainfa
ll(mm
)

29. Observations

30. Reorganization
Reorganization of the Agro climatic zones are the
need of the hour .
it should not based on the district and it should
based on the mandals and should consider all the
parameters as mentioned in the methodology not
based on the broad district based and should be
manageable unit and in turn we can suggest the
best cropping system available based on the new
agro climatic demarcation of the zone.

31. Agriculture Sustainability
.
The climatic resource endowments of a region or
a country crucially affect agricultural sustainability.
Agricultural productivity and production in about
100 million ha of the country’s rainfed areas
continue to depend on the precipitation amount
and their spatial and temporal variability. Climatic
and weather variability also significantly affect the
appropriateness of technologies and
management strategies in the irrigated areas.

32. Agriculture Sustainability-
cont..
.
. Climate is the least manageable of the resources (
soils, irrigation water, nutrients, crops); yet a better
understanding of the climate resources and their
interaction with agricultural parameters, agro
eteorological/agroclimatological studies, have been
found a powerful tool to develop climate/weather based
management strategies that will enhance benefits from
positive and minimize the losses from, negative
interactions (Virmani1994). These studies will become
increasingly important as we embark toward goals of
increasing productivity and environmental security.
Some of the approaches (Ramana Rao,1994) which will
need to the increasingly used to develop improved
management strategies include:

33. Agriculture Sustainability-
cont..
.
. Charcterization of agroclimatic/agrometeorological
regimes through collection, analysis and
interpretation of historical weather data for
agricultural planning to develop weather based
management strategies.
Increased understanding of the interaction between
weather and management practices on crop growth
and development through simulation modeling for
developing sustainable production system.

34. Agriculture Sustainability-
cont..
. Developing early warning systems on occurrence
and spread of pests and disease using real time
weather data to adopt plant protection measures
minimizing the use of chemicals.
Assessment of global climate change and its
impact. There is a fair degree of argument that
continuing build up of heat absorbing gases such as
carbon dioxide and methane is causing global
climate change.

35. References : mandal