Climate advices must reach farmers well in advance, say experts

Tirupati: Scientists from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Agricultural Research Departments maintain that climate based advices should reach the farmers in advance.

Acharya NG Ranga Agiricultural University of AP is hosting to a 3- day 12th annual review meeting on ``Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva” in its Tirupati campus from December 3 to 5.

In the meeting Chief Guest former Maharastra (Parbani) Agricultural University Vice-chancellor B Venkateswarulu said that in European countries they are regularly monitoring the crop health with the support of weather satellite. With this farmers can reduce crop loss. The former VC stressed that relevant and accurate information of weather forecasts are need of the hour to the Indian farmers.

Presiding over the meeting, the Director research ANGRAU Dr NV Naidu said that stable market and reliable weather information both are playing important role in farmers economic sustainability.

Additional Director General of ICAR Dr Ranadir Singh opined that weather is a friend of farmers as well as enemy too. In our farming practices farmers are not getting right weather predictions to protect their crops from the bad weather impacts.

Former project coordinator of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad mentioned that automatic weather forecasting stations should come at least mandal level.