State Agro-Meteorological Centre Meteorological Centre Gangtok: Sikkim

Transcription

1 State Agro-Meteorological Centre Meteorological Centre Gangtok: Sikkim Annual Report for the year

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS No. Contents Page No. 1. Introduction 3 2. Integrated Agro-met Advisory Services(IAAS) 4 3. Dissemination of Agro-Meteorological Bulletins 4 4. World Meteorological Day Farmers Awareness Programme (User s Workshop) 6 6. Agro-met Brochure District Level Forecast & Use of Numerical Weather Prediction System of India Meteorological Department Annual Review Meeting Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agrometeorology and Land based observations (FASAL) Future Plans 13 2

3 1. Introduction: The Meteorological Observatory in Gangtok was established on the 7 th May 1955 in the Raj Bhawan Area by India Meteorological Department, New Delhi. In the year 1978, an Agrometeorological Advisory Services (AAS) Unit was subsequently established to provide Agro-meteorological services to the farmers of Sikkim. Another Meteorological Observatory was established in August 1978 in ICAR Complex, Tadong for providing weather data to Agricultural Scientists engaged in active agricultural research. Further, four Part-Time Observatories, one in each district of Sikkim were established during under the Agro-met Scheme. From 1991 the Agro- Meteorological Advisory Services Unit, Gangtok started issue of bi-weekly Agro-Meteorological Advisory Bulletins for various end-users especially progressive farmers of Sikkim in active coordination with State Agricultural Department Govt. of Sikkim. The Agro- Meteorological Advisory Services Unit, Gangtok has been upgraded to Meteorological Centre, Gangtok in July 2003 and daily Local Weather Forecast 3 for Gangtok & neighbourhood issued from April 2004 onwards. Under the ongoing modernization phase of IMD, various computerized equipments viz. DMDD, HSDT, IVRS & VSAT have since been installed at MC Gangtok.

4 2. Integrated Agro- Meteorological Advisory Service in Sikkim: Namthang for South District; and PTO Mangan for North District. Bi-weekly Composite Agro- Meteorological Advisory Bulletins for Sikkim is being issued from 4 th April 2008 onwards under Integrated Agro- Meteorological Advisory Service Scheme from State Agro-Meteorological Centre (SAMC) MC Gangtok. Presently, bi-weekly Composite Agro- Meteorological Advisory Bulletins for Sikkim is issued separately for the four districts of Sikkim utilizing the synoptic data of: M.O. Gangtok, M.O. Tadong & PTO Mazitar for East District; PTO 3. Dissemination of Agro- Meteorological Bulletins: English version of bi-weekly Composite Agro-Meteorological Advisory Bulletins for Sikkim is regularly uploaded in websites and of MC Gangtok and Nepali version is broadcast by AIR Gangtok and telecast by Doordarshan Kendra Gangtok. Moreover the bulletins are mailed to various authorities of Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture Govt. of Sikkim from broader utilization by progressive farmers of respective Agriculture/Horticulture Farms in different districts of Sikkim. 4

5 4. WMO Day 2011: World Meteorological Day was observed on 23 rd March 2011 in the premises of Meteorological Observatory Raj Bhawan Area Gangtok. The Observatory was kept open to visitors and an exhibition was arranged highlighting the various activities and services viz. Weather Forecast & Warnings, Agro- Meteorological Bulletins, Seismological Services, Data utilization through satellite from Automatic Weather Stations etc. rendered by M.C. Gangtok and its network of departmental and part-time observatories in Sikkim. All the officials of MC Gangtok actively participated in the exhibition and 5

6 media personnel and briefed them about various services provided by India Meteorological Department for the country. demonstrated various aspects of meteorology including weather & climate, seismology etc. Also the utility of all the meteorological instruments installed in the observatory were demonstrated especially to the visiting students. to the visiting students and teachers of various schools and colleges as well as 5. Farmers Awareness Programme (User s Workshop): User s Workshop was organized by Meteorological Centre Gangtok on 30 th April 2010 at the Seminar Hall of Office of the Chief Election Officer, Baluwakhani, Gangtok. 6

7 The conference was held in two sessions, the first being the inaugural session and the second being the user s participation and interaction. On the occasion Mr. Bhim Prasad Dhungel, Minister of Tourism and Science & Technology, Govt. of Sikkim was the chief guest and AVM (Dr.) Ajit Tyagi, Director General of Meteorology presided over the conference. Many senior officers of IMD, State & Central Gangtok IAAS, various NGOs from Sikkim & Darjeeling Hills and media and press participated. DGM gave introduction about advanced technologies for better and accurate prediction and it s timely dissemination to the stakeholders and end users of Sikkim. Consequently, weather warnings are being issued to various departments of Govt. of Sikkim, public sector undertakings and all the Govt. official including the stakeholders of Integrated Agro-Meteorological Advisory Service Scheme from State Agro-Meteorological Centre (SAMC) MC listed NGOs of Sikkim & North Bengal (Sub-Himalayan West Bengal) via SMS through High Speed Data Terminal (HSDT) installed at MC Gangtok. 7

8 6. Agro-met Brochure: launched by IMD/Ministry of Earth Agricultural Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department (IMD) in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Indian Institute of Technology published Agromet Brochure highlighting the activities of the Agrimet Division particularly the different tiers of Integrated Agromet Advisory Services services of IMD, the brochure in English and Nepali version have been widely circulated to the concerned stakeholders of organizations/institutes like Department of Agriculture/Horticulture/Veterinary, Govt. of Sikkim; Indian Council of 8 Sciences (MoES) for the benefit of the Indian farmers. For general awareness and easier access to the Agricultural Research (ICAR) for North- Eastern Hill Region, Tadong, East Sikkim; State Agricultural Engineering University, Ranipool, East Sikkim; Regional Research Institutes, Spices Board of India, Gangtok; Krishi Vigyan Kendras of all the four districts of

9 Sikkim; NGOs and all other organization directly and indirectly related to the agricultural services in Sikkim. 7. District Level Forecast & Use of Numerical Weather Prediction System of India Meteorological Department: District Level Quantitative Forecasts for Sikkim state based on Multi-model Ensemble (MME) Technique available in the IMD website meant for the Integrated Agro-Meteorological Advisory Service Scheme is regularly downloaded on the days of issue of biweekly Composite Agro-Meteorological Advisory Bulletins for Sikkim. Value addition for rainfall carried out based on the average of QPF forecasts for different districts of Sikkim as depicted by Global Forecast System (GFS T382) incorporating Global Statistical Interpolation (GSI) scheme for the forecast up to 7 days and the meso-scale forecast system WRF (ARW 9 km) for the forecast up to 3 days using initial and boundary conditions from the IMD GFS-382 under the modernization programme of the Department. Value addition of other [parameters are carried out based on past trends and forecasted weather patterns. 9

10 8. Annual Review Meeting 2010: Annual Review meeting was organized at Archarya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad during December, Major recommendations of ARM are as follows: including the fertilizer industries and seed corporation etc. There is need to develop products on soil moisture, crop indices, stress identification, pest & disease mapping etc. for preparation on crop and location specific agromet advisories. There is need to prepare unified system for verification of District level weather forecast. The success of the district level agromet advisories depends on the accuracy of forecast. It has been observed that there is a need to improve the district level forecasts particularly in monsoon season. There is need to provide weather information and weather forecast as well as important agromet advisories to State Government Officials and all other users in the state Though initiative has been taken by Agrimet Division, Pune to disseminate the agromet advisories under PPP models to around 1 million farmers; but there is a need to extend this service to 3 million farmers during next one year. In order to facilitate wider dissemination of agromet advisories through mobile and other sources the information may be provided free of cost to disseminating agencies and funding from ATMA may be explored. 10

11 Though a number of AMFUs have started preparation of weather based advisories; still there is lot of scope for preparation of weather based advisories particularly in unseasonal and extreme weather conditions. Besides, district level AAS bulletins should be prepared for all the districts (619) of the country at the earliest. Feedback at different levels on real time basis is one of the important component; hence it may be obtained on regular basis and used in preparation of need based agromet advisories. There is need to quantify the impacts of unseasonal weather and extreme weather events on crops. District level Agromet Unit may be set up in collaboration with ICAR. Initiative for sensitization of media for popularization of AAS may be taken up on priority basis. Krishi Darshan Programme is an ideal platform for popularizing the Agromet Advisory Services as large mass of the users sees this programme on regular basis. Regular monitoring of preparation of agromet advisory bulletins as well as sending the replies of the user s queries at different levels is required to make this service more vibrant and useful. Under the changing climate and cropping pattern in different parts of the country, there is a need to revisit the classification of agroclimatic zones. ICRISAT and other NGOs are giving useful services particularly in watershed areas. Similarly NRSC generate useful satellite information and products for agriculture. This information will be useful in preparation of advisories. 11

12 9. Forecasting Agricultural output using Space, Agrometeorology and Land based observations (FASAL): India Meteorological Department has developed Crop Yield Forecasting models based on multiple correlation and regression technique. It is a linear combination of predictors (both meteorological parameters and technological parameters), which takes into account the influence of weather and technological advances on yield. kharif rice & rabi wheat for meteorological subdivision in those parts of the country where these crops were grown predominantly. It is proposed that IMD would develop Crop Yield Forecasting models for major crops of the country with greater accuracy in collaboration with Department of Space (DOS) and Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC). The crop yield forecasts at different stages of the growth period would be issued as follows: Based on the above methodology, pre-harvest crop yield forecast models have been developed for 12 First yield forecast (F0) will be given by IEG using econometric model before the start of crop season (pre-planting stage).

13 Efforts will be made by IMD to develop yield forecast at planting stage using agromet models. Mid season yield forecast (F2) will be provided by IMD using agromet model and crop areas estimation will be provided by SAC. The information will be communicated to DAC to forecast the crop production at national / state/ district level. Pre-harvest yield forecast (F3) will also be provided by IMD using agromet model and crop areas estimates will be provided by SAC. Similar to mid-season forecast, both these information will be communicated to DAC for final forecast of crops before harvest. 10. Future Plans: An Agro-Meteorological Field Unit (AMFU) is proposed to be set up under the aegis of the Joint Director, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for North-Eastern Hill Region, Tadong, East Sikkim. The main functions of the Agro-Meteorological Field Unit (AMFUs) will be as under: Prepare Agro-met Advisory bulletins at block levels. Monitoring and coordination of activities of AMFUs under its area of operation & agroclimatic zone level review meetings. 13 Networking to expand the outreach of AAS up to village level. Induce information technology and private public partnership to expand outreach. Management of Agro-met observatory network. Securing inputs from DAMUs to prepare state level advisory bulletin. Assessment of impact of inclement weather on crop at agro-climatic zone level. Preparation of agro-climatic zone level agro-climatological information.

14 Collate crop information from concerned agencies and provide the same to DAMUs. Prepare Agro-met products for respective districts. Set up Agro-met Kiosks with appropriate network for dissemination of advisory bulletins. Published by Meteorological Centre, India Meteorological Department, Baluwakhani, Gangtok,Sikkim