Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Earth Sciences has called for adapting Agriculture to Climate Change with a “responsive and appropriate scientific mechanism.”

“Unless we are prepared to face the grave challenges, the consequences can be grave,” said Shri Rijiju, speaking at the launch program of Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) portal and AIDE mobile app and unveiling of Yield Estimation System, based on Technology (YES-TECH) Manual, in New Delhi today, 21 July 2023.

Shri Rijiju said all of us are witness to the impact of climate change on Agriculture. “In our childhood, apple crops grew in Shimla, a few decades later Kinnaur emerged as the apple growing belt and now apple crop is shifting towards the even higher altitude Lahaul-Spiti region,” he said.

Shri Rijiju said, after the Green Revolution, amazing work has been done all-round in the last nine years under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and we have emerged as a leading nation in the Agriculture sector. Shri Rijiju said changes being made in the Agriculture sector through science and technology are very important. The importance of all these is even more in the era of climate change.

“Our scientists are doing very good work, it should be ensured that 100% utilization of their research should be done in all fields in the country,” he said.

In the programme, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar said that today every scheme is accessible to every farmer by using technology and farmers can take benefits.

“With a view to make it more effective, the manual, portal and app have been launched today. We used to think that why the correct weather information is not available, even if the information is received, there was no means to convey it down to the bottom, so efforts were made to make it accessible to every village by using technology,” he said.

Shri Tomar said there should be a rain watch tower in every village, weather stations can be set up at the development block level, so that the government can get precise information about the weather.

Union Agriculture Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, Director General of India Meteorological Department, Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra and CEO of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Joint Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, Shri Ritesh Chauhan also addressed the gathering.

The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare launched three important initiatives- YES TECH (Technology based Yield Estimation System), WINDS (Weather Information Data Information System) and AIDE (App for Intermediary Enrolment) dedicated to the farmers.

Crucial weather related information and data will be available to the farmers through WINDS. Keeping in view the challenges of obtaining accurate meteorological data from inadequate infrastructure, the WINDS initiative is laying emphasis on setting up a strong network of weather stations. Through this initiative, the target is to establish a wide network of weather stations at the block and gram panchayat level. This strategic approach will ensure widespread access to accurate and timely weather data. The goal is to bridge the gap in weather information availability and empower decision makers, farmers and stakeholders at the grassroots level.

This extensive network of weather stations will enable accurate monitoring of weather patterns, effective planning, risk assessment and timely response to meteorological challenges.

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