Use of agro weather forecasts increases productivity; reduces carbon emissions, reveals study

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, January 21

Farmers adopting the Agromet Advisory Bulletin (AAB) issued by the Met office for cultivation have been able to increase the productivity of rice and wheat crops, leading not only to enhanced economic benefits, but also reducing environmental risks, a study has revealed.

“Adopters of the AAB were able to increase their rice and wheat productivity by 2.25 – 3.75 and 1.75 – 4.50 quintals per hectares, respectively, by tailoring crop management in the climate smart mode like scheduling land preparation, timely sowing and spraying pesticides as per the predicted weather for coming 4-5 days,” the study states.

Analysis revealed that by using AAB, farmers could generate more income due to the higher yield of crop by Rs 4100–7000 per hectare for rice and by Rs 3200–9200 per hectare for wheat, the study published by India Meteorological Department (IMD) this month, claimed.

Crop production is a direct output of manageable (agronomic) and unmanageable (weather) inputs.

Farmers can cut down losses due to aberrant weather conditions by following weather forecasts. IMD is providing AAB based on eight climatic parameters at district and block level under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Agrometeorology — National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture.

The agriculture sector contributes about 18 per cent of the GDP in India and 25 per cent of the GDP of Punjab. It is highly vulnerable to weather aberrations, besides being a major source as well as a sink for greenhouse gases.

Titled “Mitigation and risk management of climate change in crop cultivation through the adoption of Agromet Advisory Bulletin in NICRA adopted villages in Punjab,” the study has been conducted by experts from the Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Three villages in Fatehgarh Sahib and Rupnagar districts were selected for the study. A survey of 110 farmers was conducted, amongst whom 70 were marginal or small farmers and 40 were medium farmers who adopted the information given by AAB.

Analysis revealed that 65 – 93 per cent farmers benefitted by managing biotic stresses, 65 – 85 per cent benefitted by irrigation management, 75 – 78 per cent by adjusting sowing and 62 – 65 per cent benefitted by nutrient management.

The study showed that the expenditure borne by AAB adopters was Rs 690 – 3750 per hectare on rice and Rs 320 – 1670 per hectare on wheat, which was significantly lower than that of non-adopters.

“Farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, irrigation water and biotic stress management are becoming costlier and so scientific application and judicious management can reduce input cost, which actually enhances the cost – benefit ratio,” the study states.

Further, environmental pollution and degradation of soil and air can be reduced by need based spraying of pesticides and also by judicious application of irrigation water.

Over and wasteful irrigation of crops results in additional burning of fossil fuel like diesel for operating irrigation pump systems.

In the present study, it was estimated that 29.1 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions were reduced from 211.3 hectare of rice area by the adoption of AAB alone by the farmers.