Impact Assessment of Block Level Agro Advisories for Saving Input Cost of Farmers under Old Gangetic Plains of West Bengal - A Case Study in Malda

Abstract

Biweekly block level Agromet bulletins were disseminated based on medium range weather forecast with an objective to assess the effectiveness and usefulness of Block level Agro Advisory Services (AAS) and quantify the economic benefits through adopting the micro scale agromet advisory in their day to day agricultural operations at Malda, West Bengal. Two farmers groups were considered for the study on the basis of adoption and non-adoption of the agro-met advisories. Crop situation of these farmers were compared with nearby fields having the same crops where forecast were not adopted among non AAS farmers. The entire cost incurred along with yield and net returns were calculated from sowing to marketing of goods. Similarly, the weather forecast and actual weather data received from India Meteorological Department, New Delhi were compared to verify the accuracy of rainfall forecast for the year 2019-20 at GKMS centre, Malda KVK, West Bengal. It was apparent that the value of ratio score was higher during winter (84%) than pre-monsoon (80%), post-monsoon (79%) and monsoon (74%). However, the value of threat score was also found maximum during pre-monsoon season (79%). Statistical analysis like correlation coefficient, RMSE values of wind direction were found too high in all the four seasons to accept any homogeneity in the predicted and observed values. Blockwise verification of rainfall over the year showed the range of accuracy forecast for rainfall in between 67–76%. This forecast directly had a significant role in profit generation among the AAS adaptive farmers whose additional profit enhancement for maize cultivation was between 12% and 19% only towards cost of irrigation as compared to non-adaptive farmers. The study also showcased that the AAS adaptive farmers had a better livelihood as compared to non-AAS adaptive farmers.