Lok Sabha Question No. 1103 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-26
Subject: Agriculture Specific Weather Forecasting
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Brijendra Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1103

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 26 TH  JULY, 2023

## AGRICULTURE SPECIFIC WEATHER FORECASTING

## 1103.  SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any technology for agriculture specific weather forecasting;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  whether  the  Government  plans  to  develop  agriculture specific weather forecasting;
- (c) whether the Government has any plans to collaborate with research institutions to develop advanced weather prediction models using artificial intelligence for agriculture; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a)-(b)  India  Meteorological Department (IMD) runs an operational Agrometeorological Advisory Services  (AAS) viz. ,  Gramin  Krishi  Mausam  Sewa  (GKMS)  scheme  for  the  benefit  of farming community in the country. Under the scheme, medium range (up to 5 days) weather forecast  for  rainfall,  maximum  and  minimum  temperature,  relative  humidity,  cloud  cover, wind speed and direction at district and block level for next 5 days and also subsequent week Met Sub-division wise rainfall and temperature forecast are generated by IMD.

Based on these forecasts, 130 Agromet Field Units (AMFUs) [located at State Agricultural Universities  (SAUs),  Institutes  of  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) etc]. and 199 District Agromet Units (DAMUs) at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under ICAR network prepare Agromet Advisories twice a week on every Tuesday and Friday.  These Advisories are prepared for the districts and blocks and it is  communicated to the farmers to take decisions on day-to-day agricultural operations for reduction of crop damage and loss due to unusual weather as well as for taking advantages of benevolent weather conditions.

State-of-art weather forecast (GFS) models with approximate horizontal resolution of about 12  km  is  used  for  generating  5-day  medium  range  weather  forecast  at  block  and  district levels. The Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2) coupled model is used for generating extended  range  weather  forecast  (Up  to  2  to  3  weeks)  for  taking  strategic  decisions  in agriculture.  These  weather  forecasts  are shared  with  the  AMFUs  and  DAMUs to generate suitable block and district level agromet advisories under GKMS scheme and communicate to the farming community.

Along with the biweekly bulletins, daily weather forecast and nowcast information are also disseminated to the farmers by Regional Meteorological Centres (RMCs) and Meteorological Centres  (MCs)  of  IMD.  Impact  based  forecast  (IBF)  for  agriculture  and  related  Agromet advisories  are  also  being  prepared  by  AMFUs  and  DAMUs  based  on  the  severe  weather warnings issued by National Weather Forecasting Centre (NWFC), New Delhi and RMCs and  MCs  of  IMD  on  excess  rainfall  and  other  extreme  weather  conditions  for  different districts of various States and UTs across the country.

- (c)-(d)  Yes  Sir.  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences  has  advertised  a  call  for  proposal  for  applications  of AI/ML techniques in earth sciences and also funded research and academic institutions in the country for pursuing research in the said areas.

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