IMD to aid Tripura in automatic weather forecasting

Agartala, Jul 20 (UNI) The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) today assured to extend its support for the automation of weather forecasting system for the farming communities of Tripura, requesting the state administration to ensure the reach of agrometeorological (agro-met) advisory service to the farmers.

Addressing the first meeting on district level agro-met advisory service here , IMD's Agricultural Meteorology Division Director Dr N Chattopadhyay assured that the Centre would provide sufficient weather forecasting mechanisms at the state's village level during the 11th five year plan, to control the loss of crops.

Dr Chattopadhyay said the IMD had launched an integrated agro-met advisory service in the country from April 2007 to provide location specific weather forecast, with respect to different climatic conditions and cropping patterns. It also aimed at streamlining the operational arrangement of forecasting, he added.

Besides, the IMD officials, ICAR, the state government officials and the NGOs attended the meeting and decided that IMD would provide weather information to the ICAR twice in a week. Following this, the ICAR would analyse the data and put its inputs for farming, which would be disseminated through the district administration.

According to ICAR Joint Director Dr N P Singh the meeting was aimed at developing a mechanism and preparing a road map to communicate the agro-met advisories to the farmers based on their needs, while strengthening the existing information dissemination process.

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