An agreement has been signed on Extended Range Forecast System (ERFS) project by six premier national agencies to generate and disseminate information in a monthly to seasonal time scale. Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD), National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) and Space Applications Centre (SAC), are the parties to the agreement. Apart from these, other national and international agencies working in this field shall also be associated. The project, fully funded by Agriculture Ministry, was provided with budgetary provision of Rs. 12.75 crore for the first three years.
Under the ERFS, forecast for each month at regional/district level is the ultimate goal. The project is likely to be completed in a span of about six years in two phases. In the first phase (2-3 years), it is envisaged to develop a seasonal forecast system for met sub-divisions/agro-climatic zones. In the second phase, monthly forecast is targeted at the same levels. For the district level forecast, it will be on experimental basis in selected districts.
The nodal agency for application would be DAC with the support of line agencies and other stakeholders. The project will be implemented in mission mode. A project implementation committee (PIC) has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation. For development part of the project IIT, Delhi would be the nodal agency, through a Scientific and Technical Committee (STC). IMD and NCMRWF have been given responsibility for operating the project while ICAR and SAC would give inputs from time to time for scientific development of the project.
Once the project is brought into position, the system is expected to give sufficient time to the farmers to plan their cropping activities and help the planning and policy makers to take necessary measures for any contingency. Agriculture Ministry would disseminate the project-generated information in collaboration with NCMRWF through the involvement of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, State Agriculture Universities, Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), State Agencies, ICAR institutes and other means.
At present, weather forecast is broadly of two dimensions – long range forecast for complete monsoon season and short & medium range forecast in the time scale of less than seven days. Weather forecast in a time scale of less than seven days leaves little lead-time for undertaking crop management decisions, by the stakeholders mainly, the farmers, R&D and extension agencies.
UM:RC:erfs310106
(Release ID :15248)