Success story of Agromet Advisory Services at Cachar District of Assam

Agromet Advisory Services is a new step towards the farming community. It is the single window solutions for all the queries related to fluctuating weather conditions and management of crops, livestock, and fishery. The losses in the crop can be reduced by doing proper crop management in time by accurate weather forecasts.  Preparation of agromet advisory bulletin and dissemination is the main objective of Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS).The Agromet Advisory Service (AAS) bulletins are prepared by the Agro Advisory Board, consisting of scientists belonging to various disciplines of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) and Agricultural Officers of the District. 

Such AAS bulletins are being prepared and issued in English as well as local languages. The AAS bulletins are prepared twice in a week i.e. Tuesday and Friday. Dissemination of AAS bulletins in time to the beneficiaries is very important. The predicted weather forecast and advisories are given to the progressive farmers, NGO and other stakeholders over phone and through SMS. Once the farmers received the forecast and agro advisory, they can plan their agricultural operations and take decisions accordingly. In addition, agro advisory bulletins have also been disseminated through print media (newspapers), All India Radio and television programs (local or regional cable, TV, Doordarshan, etc.).

In Cachar district, Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) of DAMU (District Agromet Unit) is working since August 2019. From August 2019, GKMS has reached to 10-15% farmers. At present we have created a database of 2000 farmers under this service who are getting SMS through mKisan portal and directly in their mobile. Around 70-80 progressive farmers, 10-15 media persons are getting advisories through phone, whatsapp group etc.

Success story of Agromet Advisory Services at Cachar district of Assam

A significant achievement of Agromet Advisory Services of GKMS, DAMU, KVK Cachar was found during extreme weather events (on 26^th October, 2019). Before the extreme weather event (flood), KVK, Cachar has provided the Weather forecast as well as Agro-advisory Bulletin through SMS (2000 farmers) service (through KMAS, mKisan portal, KVK portal), Phone call to the progressive farmers (40-50). The IMD provided predicted rainfall and recorded rainfall during the period 25^th to 29^th Oct, 2019 have mentioned below:

Before the flood our GKMS (DAMU) weather forecast and advisory were:

“Light to heavy rainfall is predicted till 28^th October, 2019. So farmers are advised, not to go for any cultivation of rabi crops and vegetables”. Those farmers who had followed the advisories of Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa of KVK Cachar (DAMU), they could save the rabi crops and vegetables from the flood but those who (farmers) had not followed they have faced huge loss in turn of crop damage subjected to monitory loss. Around 10 to 15 progressive farmers were followed our advisory and they could save the crops from the flood. And most of the farmers they faced huge losses because of their ignorance.

Farmer’s achievement is mentioned here below:

Case-1

Ali Ahmed Laskar (9954098207):

Ali of Kashipur was partially following our agro-advisory bulletin during extreme events like flood due to which he has faced huge losses. Without following the advisory, he has sown rabi vegetables (Cabbage, Cauliflower,Tomato and Brinjal) in 3 bigha land and he got loss of Rs 30000. At the same time he has not sown rabi vegetable by following our agro-advisory bulletin during the flood. In that case, he could save the crops from that extreme event which was costing Rs. 17500/- per bigha. By following our bulletin, He has sown the rabi vegetable in 2 bigha after the flood incidence and earned Rs. 110000/-. In this case the cost of cultivation was Rs 17,500/- per bigha and BC ratio was 3.14.

Horizontal expansion:

After realizing the benefit of the Agromet advisory services, he himself took initiative in his village and advised all his fellow farmers to adopt service. Consequently, almost all farmers in the village get registered their mobile number for accessing the agro-met advisory service of GKMS, KVK Cachar. The KVK Cachar is providing all the relevant weather information forecast and advisory bulletin to all registered farmers biweekly in free of cost. Based on the advisory, farmers prepare their field operations accordingly and protect their produce from the monitor loss or minimizing the loss at maximum extent.

Case-2

Tamizur Rahman Laskar (9613571862):

He is also a progressive farmer of Raipur, Slachapra. He is receiving our advisory from September, 2019. During rabi season, he cultivated mainly Potato, cabbage and rajma. Around 3 bigha land and he was using GKMS provide agro-advisory bulletin for the cultivation of rabi crops. The cost of cultivation was Rs 17000-18000/bigha. The earning of the three major crops is mentioned below:

Cabbage:

Cost: Rs 17000/bigha

Production: 90-95 q/bigha

Profit: Rs 90,000-95,000/bigha (@Rs10/kg)

Benefit: 92,500-17,000=Rs 75,500/ bigha

B: C=5.44

Potato:

Cost: Rs 15000/bigha

Production: 25 q/bigha

Profit: Rs 30,000/bigha (@Rs12/kg)

Benefit: 30,000-15,000=Rs 15,000/bigha

B:C =2.0

Rajma:

Cost: Rs 18000/bigha

Production: 4-5 q/bigha

Profit: Rs 40,000-50,000/bigha (@Rs100/kg)

Benefit: 45,000-18,000=Rs 27,000/bigha

B:C = 2.5

During 2019, he earned more profit of Rs 10,000-12,000/bigha by using agro-advisory bulletin than last year (2018). He could successfully save the crop losses from the extreme event (flood) during rabi 26^th-29^th Oct, 2019. He is following our both messages (SMS) and bulletin

Authors

Ejaful Ahmed, P. Chowdhury, Abdur Rahman,  Sewali Saikia and Kalyan Dutta

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Cachar, Silchar, Assam