Impact of Agro Advisory Services of District Agro meteorological Units (DAMU) of Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s in Southern Karnataka

Abstract

Weather variability and climate change increasingly threaten agricultural production in rain-fed regions of India. To address weather-related risks, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in collaboration with the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, established District Agro-Meteorological Units (DAMUs) at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for dissemination of location-specific weather forecasts and agro-advisories. The present study evaluated the impact of DAMU agro-advisory services in Southern Karnataka. The study was conducted in Tumkur, Ramanagara, Mandya and Chamarajanagara districts, where DAMUs have been functioning since 2019–20. An ex-post facto and exploratory research design was employed, and 120 farmers (30 from each district) receiving DAMU advisories were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results indicated that the four DAMUs together reached 95,441 farmers through digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and the Meghdoot application. Most respondents were middle-aged, small and marginal farmers with moderate to higher educational levels. Awareness about climate change was high (86.67 %), and KVK–DAMU units were the principal source of agrometeorological information for 96.67 per cent of the respondents. Adoption of DAMU advisories was very high (98.33 %), and a similar proportion perceived the advisories as useful. The advisories significantly influenced major farm operations, particularly harvesting, spraying and irrigation scheduling. Economic benefits due to advisory adoption ranged from Rs. 5,000 to above Rs. 20,000 per season. The study highlights the effectiveness of DAMU-based agro-advisory services in improving farm-level decision-making, reducing weather-related risks and enhancing farm income in Southern Karnataka.