Impact of Agrometerology Advisory Services (AAS) for Assessment of Cotton Cropping System in NTR District of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

The survey was conducted from June 2022 to January 2023 to study the impact of Agro meteorology Advisory Services and to know the increases of production of cotton crops concerning the effect of weather parameters in selected villages under the DAMU project in NTR district, Andhra Pradesh. District Agromet Units (DAMU) which was established in Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s by Andhra Pradesh cooperative program of India Meteorology Department and Indian Council of Agricultural Research. The Main theme of DAMU is to provide timely location specific Agro-met advisories to the farmers at the sub divisional and district level. The agro meteorology advisory services were provided weekly twice among the sub divisions (Tuesday and Friday) and disseminated to farmers by including cotton growers using Whats App, emails and other print media. The impact assessment was based on feedback to come at significant illation in terms of using of Agro meteorology Advisory Service (AAS) by farmers. The assessment study revealed that the farmers who adopted agro advisory services on real-time basis obtained 18 % higher net return in cotton compared to Non-AAS farmers which were benefited by forecasting of rainfall for timely agricultural operations, the recommended dose of fertilizers, and efficient use of pesticides majors in a required support manner during different crop growth stages were advised in bi-weekly bulletins. AAS farmers benefited by timely application of insecticides and fertilizers, timely accurate weather forecasting and timely agricultural operations to gain more yield in cotton crop as compared to Non-AAS farmers. AAS might be used to be helpful to the farmers in managing and changing weather, finally decreased input cost in agriculture and acquiring cost-effective agricultural production by adopting of weather-based Agromet Advisory.