Impact of climate services on the operational decision and economic outcome of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation in Haryana

The management of weather and climate risks in agriculture has become an important issue. Application of weather forecast and related advisories offer a great potential to make better-informed decisions and help farmers in adapting climate change. In the present study, weekly forecast-based crop advisories were prepared and disseminated among the farmers of Jind, Rothak and Hisar districts of Haryana. From each block, three experimental villages i.e., one each village receiving weather based advisory services through either of Whatsapp, Text SMS and Mobile Application and one control village (not receiving weekly advisory services) were chosen and thus resulting in 18 experimental villages and 6 control villages. Difference in Difference (DiD) research design was used to study the impact of advisories on farm operational decision making as well as economic outcome of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and paddy A(Oryza sativa L.) cultivation. Average treatment effect of advisories in both crops was found to be significant in all the farm operational decisions except weed management. Reduced seed rate of 3.47, 3.99 and 3.84 kg/acre, reduction in 14.93, 16.92 and 20.23 kg/acre of fertilizer application and saving 0.25, 0.31, 0.34 number of sprays in wheat crop and similarly reduced seed rate of 1.05, 1.15 and 1.27 kg/acre, reduction in fertilizer usage by 18.52, 20.00 and 20.91 kg/acre, and also saving 0.96, 1.02 and 1.15 number of sprays in paddy crop was observed from Text SMS, WhatsApp and Mobile App treatment groups, respectively. The study has also indicated reduced input cost of ₹943.45, 1026.05 and 1168.33/acre in wheat and similarly ₹1439.98, 1566.86 and 1670.22/acre in paddy from Text SMS, WhatsApp and Mobile App treatment groups, respectively. The provision of seamless weather-based advisories for agriculture need to become a national adaptation priority in adapting to changing climate of today and of the future.