IIT Bombay launches KrishiDrought portal with four-week drought forecasts

IIT Bombay has launched KrishiDrought.in, a public portal that issues weekly agricultural drought forecasts for districts across India, with alerts extending up to four weeks ahead.

Developed by the Ecohydrology research group led by Prof. Karthikeyan Lanka, the platform combines satellite observations, hydroclimatic datasets and dynamical forecasts with deep-learning models. It tracks changes in soil moisture and identifies areas where agricultural drought may be developing.

The forecasts are generated at a spatial resolution of about 9 km and presented at district level. IIT Bombay said the service is meant for farmers, government agencies and other stakeholders who need time to plan for dry conditions and reduce possible crop losses.

The portal was formally launched during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of IIT Bombay’s Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering, alongside the Centre for Climate Studies. Forecasts are available at krishidrought.in.