Agrometeorological Advisory Service: A Key to Enhance the Farmers’ Income in Red and Lateritic Zone of Purulia District of West Bengal

Abstract

Weather and climate affect the production of an agricultural system as it influences growth and development of crops before and during the cropping season. The Agro-meteorological Advisory Service (AAS) rendered by India Meteorological Department implemented through establishment of District Agromet Unit (DAMU) in different Krishi Vigyan Kendras across the country mainly aims to enhance the farmers’ income by proper utilization of inputs and adopting suitable management practices according to the weather condition. The present study was undertaken to know the usefulness of AAS and assessing the economic benefit through its adoption in day to day farming operation by the farmers. The study was conducted at Jambad village of Purulia district under Red and Lateritic Zone of West Bengal for Kharif rice, groundnut and mustard crop which are predominantly grown in the region during 2019 Kharif and 2019-20 Rabi season. A group of farmers following AAS regularly provided through DAMU were selected randomly from the target village and farmers not following the same were also identified for the study. The economic impact and usefulness of block level AAS has been assessed through analysing the data collected from the selected farmers using suitable statistical technique. The result showed from the study that most of the cases forecasted data is well matched with actual data and hence those farmers who have adopted AAS timely in their farming operation realized more net income as compared to non AAS farmers having the same crop grown in the target village. Thus it can be concluded from the study that AAS is an effective tool for minimizing the crop losses caused due to aberrant weather and played a significant role in enhancing the production and farmers’ income.