Introduction

Abstract

The   environment of western Rajasthan is shaped by predominant aridity, which is   broken by moderate and irregular monsoonal rainfall. One assessment of the   occurrence and perception of drought by farmers is that in every decade there   are ' ... from six to nine severe drought years, from one to three good   years, and hardly one average or "normal" year' (Bharara 1982:352).   The problem is that no one knows in advance which will be a good year or   which will be a bad year.