Economic impact assessment of the Agrometeorological Advisory Service of India.

摘要

A pilot study was conducted to assess the economic impact of weather forecast-based advisories issued to 15 of the 127 Agrometeorological Advisory Service (AAS) units of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. Six seasons comprising three Kharif (summer) and three Rabi (winter) during 2003-2007 were chosen. The major crops chosen for the study included food grains, oilseeds, cash crops, fruit and vegetable crops. The sample set consisted of 80 farmers, comprising 40 responding and 40 non-responding farmers. The main aim was to study the percentage increase/decrease in the yield and net return due to AAS. Results obtained suggest that the AAS farmers accrued a net benefit of 10-15% in the overall yield and a reduction by 2-5% in the cost of cultivation over the non-AAS farmers.