THE CONTEXT: The shutdown of District Agro-Meteorology Units (DAMUs) in India has sparked significant concern among stakeholders, as these units played a crucial role in providing localized weather advisories to farmers. Their absence threatens to undermine agricultural productivity and resilience amid increasing climate variability.
ABOUT DAMUs:
- District Agro-Meteorology Units (DAMUs) were established in 2018 by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) scheme.
- DAMUs utilized meteorological data such as rainfall, temperature, and wind speeds to prepare advisories on critical agricultural activities like sowing, harvesting, irrigation, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
- In March 2024, DAMUs were shut down following an order from the IMD, influenced by recommendations from NITI Aayog to automate and privatize the services.
IMPORTANCE OF AGRO-MET UNITS
- Support for Small and Marginal Farmers: Approximately 80% of Indian farmers are small and marginal, relying heavily on rain-fed agriculture. DAMUs provided crucial weather-based advisories that helped these farmers plan agricultural activities, such as sowing, irrigation, and harvesting, thereby enhancing crop yields and incomes.
- Climate Change Adaptation: With changing climate patterns, including altered monsoon timings and extreme weather events, agro-met advisories have become essential for farmers to adapt and mitigate risks. These advisories offered early warnings for events like droughts and heavy rainfall, contributing to climate resilience among the farming community.
- Localized and Accessible Information: DAMUs, located within Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), used weather data to prepare advisories at the sub-district level, ensuring that information was localized and accessible to farmers in their local languages.
REASONS FOR SHUTDOWN
- Misrepresentation by NITI Aayog: NITI Aayog reportedly misrepresented the role of DAMUs by claiming that agro-met data was automated, which undermined the significant role of DAMU staff in customizing and disseminating localized advisories. This misrepresentation led to recommendations for privatization and monetization of the services.
- Financial and Administrative Challenges: The shutdown was also attributed to financial issues, including delayed salary disbursements for DAMU staff, which affected the program’s effectiveness.
- Shift Towards Centralization: There was a suggestion to transition to a centralized model for weather data collection and advisory services, potentially reducing the localized support that DAMUs provided.
CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVATIZATION
- Affordability: Private weather advisory services are often costly, making them unaffordable for small and marginal farmers. The shift towards privatization could lead to increased costs for accessing essential weather information.
- Potential Bias: There are concerns that private advisories could be biased towards certain brands of fertilizers and pesticides, which could affect the neutrality and usefulness of the advisories provided to farmers.
IMPACT ON FARMERS AND AGRICULTURE
- Loss of Localized Weather Advisories: DAMUs provided crucial localized weather advisories to farmers, which helped them make informed decisions regarding sowing, harvesting, irrigation, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides. The shutdown has deprived farmers of timely and accurate weather information, potentially leading to suboptimal agricultural practices and increased vulnerability to adverse weather conditions.
- Increased Vulnerability to Climate Variability: With climate change causing more unpredictable weather patterns, such as altered monsoon timings and extreme weather events, the absence of DAMUs has increased farmers’ vulnerability to these changes. The advisories from DAMUs were instrumental in helping farmers adapt to climatic variations, thereby enhancing their resilience and ability to maintain or improve crop yields.
- Economic Implications: The shutdown has likely led to decreased agricultural productivity and income for farmers, particularly small and marginal ones who rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture. DAMUs played a critical role in improving farm output and income, and their absence could result in financial strain for many farmers, exacerbating existing challenges in the agricultural sector.
- Dependence on Costly Private Services: With the closure of DAMUs, farmers may be forced to rely on private weather advisory services, which are often expensive and unaffordable for small and marginal farmers. This shift could increase the financial burden on farmers and limit their access to essential weather information.
- Impact on Crop Insurance: DAMUs contributed to reducing crop insurance premiums under schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana by providing accurate weather forecasts and advisories. Their shutdown may lead to higher premiums and reduced insurance coverage, further increasing the financial risks for farmers.
IMPROVEMENT IN CROP YIELDS AND FARMER INCOMES
- Localized Weather Advisories: DAMUs provided localized agricultural advisories based on weather data, which were crucial for farmers to make informed decisions about sowing, harvesting, and irrigation. This helped optimize agricultural practices and mitigate risks associated with adverse weather conditions, leading to improved crop yields.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: By offering timely and accurate weather information, DAMUs enabled farmers to plan their agricultural activities more effectively. These included decisions related to the use of fertilizers and pesticides, which contributed to better crop management and higher productivity.
- Increased Resilience to Climate Variability: The advisories helped farmers adapt to climate variability, such as shifting monsoon patterns and extreme weather events. This increased resilience was particularly beneficial in regions characterized by rain-fed farming, where farmers were able to respond more effectively to climatic variations, resulting in higher yields and incomes.
- Economic Benefits: Studies and reports highlighted that DAMUs played a significant role in enhancing farmers’ ability to manage climatic risks, which translated into economic benefits. In regions like Kalyana-Karnataka, localized advisories from DAMUs led to higher agricultural productivity and consequently improved farmer incomes.
ADVOCACY FOR REVIVAL
- Stakeholder Opposition: Various stakeholders, including the Gujarat-based Association of Agrometeorologists and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, have opposed the shutdown and advocated for the continuation and strengthening of DAMUs.
- Policy Recommendations: A policy brief by the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) highlighted the positive impact of DAMUs on farmers’ ability to respond to climatic variations and recommended exploring avenues to enhance and strengthen their presence.
THE CONCLUSION:
Reviving and strengthening DAMUs is vital for enhancing farmers’ ability to adapt to climatic changes, thereby improving crop yields and incomes. Policymakers must prioritize the restoration of these units to support the agricultural sector and safeguard the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q. How does e-Technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce? Explain it. 2023
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Discuss the significance of District Agro-Meteorology Units (DAMUs) in enhancing agricultural productivity and resilience in India. Suggest measures to effectively integrate weather-based advisories into the agricultural sector.
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