AMFU Kumarakom -Report on Farmer awareness programme .pdf

<strong>Report</strong> on
CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE
Farmers Awareness Programme
15 th March 2012
Organized by
Agrometeorological Field Unit
Regional Agricultural Research Station, <strong>Kumarakom</strong>
Kerala Agricultural University
Sponsored by
India Meteorological Department

A One day workshop on “Climate change and Agriculture” was organized in RARS
<strong>Kumarakom</strong> as part of the farmer awareness programme under Integrated Agromet Advisory
Services Project on 15 th March 2012. Over 120 delegates comprising 83 farmers. official of
the development department, scientists, researchers and technical personnel and media
representatives participated. Climatic variability and agriculture, impacts of climate change
on animal husbandry, impacts of climate change on fisheries, role IT sector in information e
dissemination especially weather wise crop information and Integrated Agromet advisory
services to the farmers were discussed in various sessions. A visit to Agromet observatory
was also arranged as part of the program.
Dr. G.S.L.H.V. Prasada Rao (Associate Director, KAU), Dr. A. Jalaludeen, Director of
Academics and Research, KVASU, Dr. K.G. Padmakumar, Associate Director, RARS
<strong>Kumarakom</strong> served as resource persons in different sessions.
The workshop started with welcome address of Dr. K.G. Padmakumar, Associate Director,
RARS <strong>Kumarakom</strong> by 10: AM, Dr. K.R. Viswambharan, IAS, vice Chancellor, Kerala
Agricultural university presided over the function. Dr. V.S. Vijayan, Chairman (Rtd.) Kerala
state Biodiversity board inaugurated the function. Father Thomas Peeliyanikkal, Executive
Director,Kuttanad development society , Dr. Koshalya Ramachandran, Principal Scientist,
CRIDA, Hyderabad were the special guests. The following persons made felicitation address
Smt. Dhanya Sabu, Grama Panchayat president, <strong>Kumarakom</strong>, Smt. Valsamma Thankappan
Member, <strong>Kumarakom</strong> Grama Panchayat. Sri. A.P. Gopi, Member, <strong>Kumarakom</strong> Grama

Panchayat, Sri. V.K. Raju, Principal Agricultural officer, Kottayam. The inaugural session
was adjourned with vote of thank by Sri. Shajeesh Jan, P, Assistant professor(Agromet).
Dr. Dr. K.R. Viswambharan, IAS, Hon. Vice Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University, in his
presidential address stressed that climate change is real and the situation will become worse
in this century. Although climate change is a global phenomenon, negative impacts are most
severely felt by the poor people in developing countries that lack resources, knowledge
capability due to poor research infrastructure. The most vulnerable people are the farmers
who depend on natural resources for their livelihood. The rural population who depend
heavily on agriculture, livestock keeping or fishing etc. are the most climate sensitive
sectors. He explained in details the various programmes to combat climate which is being
taken up by the university and programmes which are undergoing in this scenario. Looking
at the importance of climate change Education and research, he said that the KAU has
already started an “ Academy of Climate Change Education and Research” , first of its kind
in the country . He also appreciated the efforts for interactive projects viz., Agromet advisory
service started at <strong>Kumarakom</strong> centre with the financial assistance of India meteorological
department under Ministry of Earth sciences, Government of India.

Dr. V.S. Vijayan, Chairman(Rtd.) Kerala state Biodiversity board and renowned ecologists
in his inaugural speech elaborated the essential need for evolving ‘green practices’ that
reduce emission of gases by changing our farming practices and also the importance of
organic farming and emphasized emergency of reducing the use of chemical fertilizer and
pesticide. He explained that by resorting to organic farming practices we can combat the
issue of GH gas emission and adverse effects of climate change.
Dr. A. Jalaludeen, Director of Academics and Research, Kerala Veterinary and Animal
Sciences University (KVASU) highlighted the impact of climate change and climate variability
on poultry and animal husbandry sector. He emphasized that the proposed high temperature
will adversely affect the sector and which may result in reduced food intake by the animals
and birds and ultimately resulted in reduced meat and egg production. Scarcity of water and
increased frequencies of drought, floods, Storms etc. will lead to destruction of resources.
He also pointed out that that these adverse effects will also result in incidence of new
diseases and the effect is going to be the highest in India which sustain maximum cattle
population globally which is around 560 millions. Nevertheless, in India studies on impact of
climate change on Animals and poultry is scarce.
Father Thomas Peeliyanikkal, Executive Director ,Kuttanad Development Society called for
introducing weather based crop insurance scheme which has not been implemented in
Kerala and also demanded for introducing weather based crop calendar to the Kuttanad as
proposed by the Dr. MS Swaminathan Commission.

Dr. GSLHV. Prasada Rao explained the impact of climate change and climate variability on
Agricultural crops. He explained the concepts and difference between climate change and
climate variability. He also elaborated the effect of climate variability on plantation crops, rice
and spices and also explained the mitigative strategies to combat climate change. He also
told that there will be increase of 3 °C rise in average temperature in India and which will
adversely affect the food security of the country and predicted steep price rice in essential
food commodities.
Dr. Koshalya Ramachandran, Principal scientist, CRIDA mooted that the adverse affect on
climate change will lead to biodiversity shrinkage which in turn affect the existence of the
very life in the earth.
Mr. Mahesh, Nokia India Ltd. invited speaker from IT industry explained the efforts by Nokia
in Weather based agro advisory services and explained the advantages of the Nokia
application software “Nokia life tool” and clarified the doubts of farmers in this regard.
Dr. K.G Padmakumar, Associate director, RARS <strong>Kumarakom</strong> explained in details on impact
of climate change on fisheries sector and pointed out that the effect of climate change will be
more pronounced in the Kuttanad area and emphasized that the there was an increase of
around 3°C mean annual maximal temperature at <strong>Kumarakom</strong> observatory during the last 3
decades. Climate change is likely to impede sustainability of our capture fisheries which is
even now under great pressure due to over exploitation and environmental decline. More
frequent weather events in the changed scenario will affect production not only in agriculture
but also in aquaculture. The growth of aquaculture which was unprecedented in the past

three decades. With increased pressure on captive fishes and there will be attempts for
unsustainable developments in aquaculture that might lead to detrimental practices that
aggravate warming related problems.
Mr. Shajeesh Jan, P, Assistant professor (Agromet) explained about the Integrated Agromet
advisory service rendered under the <strong>AMFU</strong> <strong>Kumarakom</strong> and gave details on different
weather forecasting services in India, Preparation of Agromet advisory services and
dissemination of the bulletins in different methods and also discussed about ways to improve
the dissemination. The biweekly weather based advisory bulletins is issued on every
Tuesdays and Fridays from this station. These bulletins contains advisories for all the
weather sensitive agricultural operations from sowing to harvest. It enables farmers to take
advantage of benevolent weather and minimise the adverse impact of malevolent weather
on crops. These weather based advisories are disseminated to the farmers through
multichannel dissemination system such as mass media dissemination, internet etc as well
as through district level intermediaries and through selected farmers of the district.
Five raingauges were distributed to the following farmers and which have been installed
properly
1. Sasidhara Sharma V
Thekkedath , Thalayazham (PO).,
Vaikom, Kottayam
2. Joy koloth
Ideyanal (PO).,
Ramapuram, Kottayam
3. P.T Abraham
Pallathadam
Athirampuzha (PO).Kottayam
4. Mohan Kottakkal
Parippu (PO)., Kottayam
5. Mohanan Kartha
Kizhakedath house
Mevada(PO).,
Pala,Kottayam

A very active discussion session followed the seminar with participants and resource
persons on various issues. The farmers shared the feeling that indigenous knowledge on
weather forecasting shall also be considered for integrated analysis if climatic events. The
questions on relationship between pest and disease outbreak especially on rice and
vegetables due to climate change was also raised. Dr. GSLHV Prasada Rao explained the
role of critical weather elements and how the change of each of them will influence the
population buildup and spread of pest and diseases. He also explained the need for
devloping crop- weather calendar in Kuttanad, which is an endemic region for most pests
and diseases. Specific questions were asked on the animal husbandry practices to mitigate
high summer temperature situations, since milk production was observed to be drastically
reduced due to high temperature this season. Dr. A. Jalaludeen, explained in detail the
various measures that can be adopted in this regard.

The participants visited the Agromet observatory of this station and familiarised with the
various weather recording instruments and were given hands on experience in instrument
reading and data recording. The programme came to close at 5: 00 PM
A fund of Rs. 35,000/- was provided by India Meteorological Department, New Delhi ,
Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India for the conduct of programme and the total
expenditure was Rs 35357.
The programme and workshop proceedings were widely covered by print media, AIR and
various visual media