LUCKNOW, 05 November 2023 : strong>LUCKNOW, 5 Novewmber 2023: In the Barabanki region of Uttar Pradesh, farmers toiling to cultivate Mentha, a high-value crop, encountered numerous challenges. From nutrient deficiencies and unseasonal rainfall to persistent pest issues, their path to success in farming was covered with obstacles.
Weather Risk Management Services (WRMS), a pioneer in smart and sustainable farming in India, armed them with technological interventions and cutting-edge decision support systems. This helped farmers overcome these issues leading to a remarkable transformation in their agricultural endeavors.
This comprehensive approach deployed by WRMS resulted in significant improvements for the Mentha farmers in the region. Witnessing a notable 20?crease in input costs while concurrently conserving water resources by 18%. The convergence of these favorable results contributed to an enhanced return on investment for the farmers in the region.
The following crop advisory was provided by WRMS –
1. Crop Management – WRMS through the flagship SecuFarm Mobile Application facilitated the distribution of weekly farm activities (Package of Practice) to over 3000 farmers in the Barabanki region. This enabled farmers to effectively carry out necessary tasks on their farms in a timely manner.
2. Nutrient Management - Farmers were provided with soil health data and soil testing at the village level, enabling the identification of nutrient deficiencies. Based on these findings, appropriate soil treatments were recommended to farmers prior to sowing their crops.
3. Plantation Management – WRMS through its satellite imagery services observed that 3% of farms had a low plant density during the initial stage of plantation. To address this issue, farmers were notified through an app within 21 days of sowing, suggesting replantation to bridge the gap.
4. Irrigation Management - A total of 72% of farmers were advised on effective irrigation management by considering factors such as soil type, irrigation pattern, crop stage, and weather forecast. This advisory aimed to ensure adequate moisture levels were maintained throughout the entire crop period.
5. Growth Monitoring - By employing satellite monitoring, the team of experts from WRMS detected low NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) levels in 8% of farms, thus the company promptly recommended suitable nutrient interventions. Consequently, farmers successfully enhanced the health of their crops through timely application.
6. Pest and Disease Management - By utilizing weather forecasts and an AI-based rule engine, alerts for wilt, cutworm, and caterpillar infestations were generated in 82% of farms well ahead of time. As a result, farmers were able to make informed decisions and take necessary actions, effectively reducing crop damage.
7. Weather Event Monitoring - Leveraging weather forecasting models, an upcoming occurrence of unseasonal rainfall during the harvesting period was accurately predicted. As a result, farmers were provided with valuable insights regarding the need for a delay in their harvesting activities and the identification of an appropriate harvesting window, ensuring they could achieve their desired yield.
The implementation of WRMS support, including technological interventions and decision support systems, has proven to yield numerous benefits for Mentha farmers in the Barabanki region of Uttar Pradesh (UP). The tangible and inspiring outcomes showcased the immense potential of such interventions to tackle agricultural challenges head-on, while simultaneously fostering sustainable and profitable farming practices.
