Climate Exchange

[

] 22

griculture

production systems including agriculture, horticulture and animal

husbandry. An exhibition for schoolchildren was also arranged to

raise their awareness about the future impact of weather and climate

on agriculture and daily life. Various weather instruments were

displayed, such as rain gauges, weathervanes, sunshine recorders and

maximum and minimum air temperature thermometers. The exhibi-

tions also include posters containing important information about

weather forecast application and reliability and the impact of climate

change. Charts are displayed showing agrometeorological research

activities in the station, climatic characterization of the region, the

onset date of monsoon rainfall in the region, the start of the agromet

advisory service unit, medium-range weather forecasts, the prepara-

tion of the agromet advisory bulletin and a selection of suitable crops

based on the time of monsoon rainfall onset and the impact of climate

change. Farmers have visited the agricultural meteorological observa-

tory to get acquainted with the weather instruments, and to be shown

the automatic weather station.

Capacities

In each AMFU a Nodal Officer (NO) and a Technical Officer (TO), who

have significant experience in agrometeorology, work on AAS. They are

given special training in IMD at the time of setting up the AMFUs, and

IMD organizes a 21-day AMFU training course covering all agromete-

orological information.

The Farmer Awareness Programme includes extensive discussions on

how farmers can blend and use traditional knowledge and indigenous

skills for weather forecasting with modern forecasting methods in differ-

ent aspects of agricultural operations to increase the crop yield. A regular

survey made for targeted and non-targeted farmers shows that they are

more aware and that they trust these services, ultimately producingmore

agricultural output by using the information provided in the programme.

Farmers’ views

One progressive farmer shared his experience about how he had

benefited from the agromet advisory issued by the AAS of AMFU

Sonitpur, Assam. He described how he was able to save

a mature potato crop worth Rs300,000 from damage due

to heavy rainfall after receiving a forecast of heavy rainfall

well in advance. Another said that he regularly followed

the advisory issued by AMFU Pune, Maharashtra and his

crop yield had increased by 10-15 per cent compared to

other farmers who did not follow the advisory.

Farmers are able to ask questions about the forecasts,

services and the effects of climate change, which the NO

and TO answer in their regional language. Experts from

different fields also answer farmers’ queries, and some

important messages have been communicated to the

farmers through this programme:

• Farmers should take advantage of such awareness

programmes to minimize crop loss due to

unexpected climatic hazards and to help increase

agricultural production

• Farmers are told how to pre-plan farm operations and

cropping by getting weather information in advance

• Farmers are requested to keep in touch with

KVK regarding their problems, to opt for newer

technologies which can sustain productivity levels

without affecting climate, and to visit the KVK

farm to see how weather data such as temperature,

rainfall and relative humidity is recorded by the

automatic weather station

• Farmers are asked to keep in touch with the university

through the Agriculture Fair, Farmers’ Club meetings

and the Farmers’ Gathering so they can maximize their

knowledge about new research outcomes and apply this

knowledge on their fields

• Farmers should adopt poultry farming and fisheries

as well as dairy and fruit production with agricultural

crops to generate extra income; they are encouraged

to work through self-help groups and take advantages

Image: India Meteorological Department

Farming communities are shown a variety of weather and climate measuring tools to familiarize them with agrometeorological advisory services