Goa: ICAR logs on to WhatsApp for weather-related agro advisories

PANAJI: In a novel move, village-wise WhatsApp groups have been created by ICAR-Goa to provide weather-based information and agro advisories to the farming community based on forecasts received from the district agro-met unit (DAMU) that was jointly set up by the India meteorological department (IMD) and ICAR-Goa under the Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) scheme.
The initiative has resulted in close to 6,000 farmers receiving weather-related information and agro advisories. The DAMU centre is located at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Old Goa and covers five North Goa talukas — Bardez, Bicholim, Pernem, Sattari and Tiswadi.

“Weather and climate information play a vital role in agricultural production and management. Agro-advisory services are the farm decisions taken in response to past, current and future weather changes. They include agronomy, pest and disease management, water and soil conservation, seeds and fertiliser input management, spraying of insecticides, pesticides and weedicides, etc. It is ensured that in the future, the same will reach more farmers who can benefit through these services,” the Old Goa based ICAR-CCARI stated.
This helps the farmers to take weather-related sensitive decisions, like sowing or transplanting of seedlings, usage of pesticides, weedicides and fertilisers among others.