Climate Services For Farmers In India

- Mihir Mathur

Unpredictable weather variations and extreme events are now being progressively acknowledged as signs of climate change. This variability in climate, as also highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), poses risks for food security and livelihood of farmers, especially the marginal and small landholders. This calls for evaluation of various adaptation and mitigation options that can secure farmers’ livelihoods and provide food for all.

Our farmers’ presumptive analysis of the weather through traditional knowledge and age-old experience has long held them and their crops in good stead. Today, climate information and advisory services sent to farmers, on their mobile phones, are helping make agriculture more resilient towards the impacts of a varying climate.

Techno-Social Tools

In India, these services have seen a giant leap of a change in the last 10 years. The year 2006/07 saw a surge in agro-met services with companies such as Nokia Life tools and Reuters Market Light (RML) entering the Indian market, which for a long time was served by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) only. Today, weather information is also accompanied with market-related information, thus helping farmers get fair bargains for their produce.

The traditional 'Farmers’ Weather Bulletin' and TV broadcasts including All India Radio have now evolved into sophisticated climate products and services delivered using ‘techno-social’ tools—smartphones and mobile apps.