Syllabus: GS III & V: Agriculture, climate change, disaster management and technology

Why in the News?

Assam’s agriculture is increasingly exposed to irregular rainfall, floods, dry spells and rising temperatures. Recent rainfall variability and scientific evidence on declining crop yields highlight why weather tracking and location-specific agricultural advisories are becoming important for protecting farm incomes.

Why Weather Matters for Assam’s Farmers

Assam’s agriculture is strongly dependent on the monsoon. Weather conditions influence almost every farm operation, from sowing and irrigation to fertiliser application and harvesting. Excess rainfall, prolonged dry spells, heat waves and floods can all reduce crop productivity.

The 2025 southwest monsoon illustrates this vulnerability. Assam and Meghalaya received only 906.4 millimetres, against the normal rainfall of 1,762.2 millimetres, representing a 49% deficit.

Scientific research published in 2025 also found that a 1°C rise in temperature could reduce rice yield in Assam by approximately 0.112 tonnes per hectare. The study also found negative effects on tea and mustard yields.

How Weather Tracking Helps

Timely weather information allows farmers to:

• Choose suitable sowing dates according to expected rainfall.
• Schedule irrigation when rainfall is likely to remain deficient.
• Decide when to apply fertilisers and pesticides, avoiding wastage during heavy rain.
• Plan harvesting and storage before damaging rainfall.
• Prepare for floods, storms, dry spells and other extreme events.

The India Meteorological Department provides agricultural weather advisories that convert weather information into practical guidance for farmers.

Digital Tools Reaching Farmers

• Meghdoot: A joint initiative of the India Meteorological Department, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and Indian Council of Agricultural Research. 
  • It provides district- and crop-specific advisories, weather forecasts and historical weather information, including advisories in local languages.
• Pathar Bazar: Developed through Krishi Vigyan Kendras under Assam Agricultural University, the application provides weather forecasts along with information on crops, seeds, markets, animal husbandry and pest management. It was launched in 2022.
• SashyaRakshyak: An Assamese-English bilingual application developed by Assam Agricultural University that helps identify pests and provides management measures for 36 agricultural and horticultural crops.

Important Government Initiatives

• National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture promotes technologies that help agriculture withstand droughts, floods, heat waves and other climate stresses.
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana provides crop insurance against specified crop losses, including losses arising from adverse weather events.

Challenges

The real challenge is not merely producing forecasts but ensuring that they become actionable information at the farm level. Poor connectivity, limited digital literacy, language barriers and inadequate understanding of forecasts can prevent farmers from benefiting from available technology.

Therefore, Assam needs stronger coordination among meteorological agencies, Assam Agricultural University, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, district administration and farmer organisations, with advisories delivered in simple local languages through both digital and offline channels.

Way Forward

Assam should move from weather forecasting to weather-based farm planning. More local weather stations, better last-mile communication, climate-resilient crop varieties, irrigation support and village-level agricultural advisories can help farmers respond before a weather event becomes a livelihood crisis.

Exam Hook – Mains

How can weather-based agricultural advisories and digital technology strengthen climate resilience of Assam’s rain-fed agriculture?

One-line wrap: For Assam’s farmers, accurate weather information is increasingly becoming as important as seeds, water and markets.