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Vulnerability assessments by developing Farmers' Distress Index (FDI) can play a vital role in the design of appropriate adaptation and mitigation policies directed towards the various structural changes in the recent era - for those who depend on agriculture for their livelihood and well-being. This paper attempts to build a picture of the vulnerability of distressed agricultural households by identifying the distress indicators - based on seven major dimensions, namely exposure, mitigating and adaptation strategies, adaptive capacity, triggers, sensitivity, psychological factors and impact. The aim of developing the Farmers' Distress Index (FDI), considering 50 indicators in the context of 640 dryland farmers of 4 districts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, was to identify sources and forms of vulnerability that are specific to the context of designing resilience measures. The study we undertook reports the top 10 major indicators that drive the overall vulnerability of the districts. It also recommends a particular 'distress management package' by involving the local administration, research institutions and NGOs to build a specific action plan for intervention against each indicator.

The paper examines farmers' income, indebtedness and suicides. It concludes that income of farmer is low mainly due to low harvest prices, high cost of inputs and small operational holding size. Low incomes coupled with higher consumption needs force small farmers into high-interest debt trap. There is a need to increase public investment in farm infrastructure, strengthen direct benefit transfer schemes for purchase of inputs, improve institutional credit delivery mechanisms and widen safety nets in rural areas. The recent farm policy related to encouraging Farmer Producer Organizations and contract farming could potentially increase small farmers bargaining power and scale economies to utilise market opportunities.

In terms of technology, the Government of Telangana has made an effort to rebuild mobile-based services for its citizens with the goal of providing functional services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at the press of a button. This study, therefore, examines the elements that influence mobile governance in the context of end-user's satisfaction. Such assessments are needed for better government–citizen interactions. Furthermore, the major findings suggest that the functional status, privacy concerns, informational quality, grievance redressal and customer's satisfaction are all linked to the quality of the m-governance services delivery mechanism in Hyderabad. This study contributes to a better understanding of service quality components in order to boost end-user acceptance of mobile services in practice.

Farmer distress is a widely recognized problem in India induced by multiple causes ranging from climate variability to price volatility and the low risk-bearing ability of farmers. Tracking farmers' distress in a localized context is a prerequisite for timely action to provide sustainable livelihood options. Therefore, a field survey was conducted with 640 dryland farmers of 10 sub-district units from two states in India with the aim to identify the major indicators based on seven dimensions of distress and to construct a multidimensional Farmers' Distress Index (FDI) at the farmer and sub-district levels. The FDI was built with seven dimensions of distress: exposure to risk, adaptive capacity, sensitivity, mitigation and adaptation strategies, triggers, psychological factors, and impacts. The study developed a broad-based FDI which can be used as a planning tool that can address the causes of farmers' distress and also evolve measures to tackle those causes. Based on the result, the study recommends a location-specific distress management package based on various dimensions of the FDI. The paper also suggests an upscaling strategy to identify and prioritize the highly distressed farmers as well as sub-district geographical units by tracking a few sets of variables.

Agrarian distress in rainfed areas refers to the challenges faced by farmers who rely on rainfall for their agricultural activities. These areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change and variability, which can result in droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events that impact crop yields and livelihoods. One of the primary reasons for agrarian distress in rainfed areas is the lack of irrigation facilities. These areas rely on rainfall for their agricultural activities, and a lack of adequate rainfall can result in crop failure and financial losses for farmers. In addition, soil degradation and erosion, which can be caused by deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices, can further reduce the productivity of rainfed areas. Furthermore, farmers in rainfed areas often face challenges in accessing credit and markets. They may also lack knowledge and resources and assets to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and diversify their income streams. This can result in a cycle of poverty and indebtedness, which leaves farmers struggling to make ends meet. Addressing agrarian distress in rainfed areas requires a comprehensive approach that includes improving irrigation facilities, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, providing access to credit and markets, and strengthening government support for farmers. This can help to improve agricultural productivity, enhance resilience to climate change, and promote sustainable livelihoods for farmers in rainfed areas. Government of India implementing crop insurance scheme to compensate for crop losses since last five decades in one form or other.