Monsoon has been aptly described as the ‘Real Finance Minister’ of India by several authors and journalists. Rightly so, as the SW monsoon is considered as the harbinger of life-giving rains that ensures food security.

But do you know, it is not just India that depends on the monsoon? All South-East Asian countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka – all depend on the monsoon for their economy to be healthy. All have fairly large number of farmers dependent on monsoon rainfall, who in turn, look forward to better monsoon rains and better agriculture productivity.

The accompanying image shows the extent of the monsoon coverage vis-a-vis the annual precipitation (1981-2010). The map shows average rainfall per day (in mm). As can be seen, the rainfall over sea is much higher and the quantum lessens as the monsoon moves towards the land.

The large coastal areas of India receive higher amount of rainfall, so do the entire north-east India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and in fact, even Myanmar. The central India, north-central India – basically what we know as the Deccan plateau – and Nepal too receive rainfall that is lesser than coastal areas. Lastly, the north-west India and Pakistan that receive the lowest amount of rainfall during the south-west monsoon.

Since time immemorial, monsoon has been considered the bedrock of South Asia’s food security and survival of its rivers, forests and of course people. But of course, India and all its neighbours regularly face the vagaries of nature and face floods, flash floods, cloudbursts and even droughts depending on the spatial and temporal rainfall distribution.

---- to be continued