High demand for climate info in farm planning

Climate-specific guidance is critical to crop planning ahead of monsoon this year for farmers of Hussainapuram and many other villages in Kurnool and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. To complement the seasonal climate forecast provided by the national agency India Meteorological Department (IMD) and produced by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) farmers are seeking additional assistance from ICRISAT scientists.

According to the farmers, such information is crucial for planning the season. It helps them decide how much area to prepare for cropping, what crops and varieties to opt for, what inputs need to be readied or on leasing additional land.