As accurate weather forecasting becomes critical to India’s agriculture growth, the country is looking to forge a close partnership with US-based companies on medium-range weather forecasting (forecasts which usually pertains to 10-15 days).
Sources said contours of such a partnership is likely to materialise during the forthcoming visit of US President Barack Obama to India next month. In US there are around 100 private agencies and companies that forecast weather, while in India the number is very less. India Meteorological Department (IMD) the country?s biggest weather forecaster, has sometimes come under lot of flak for failing to accurately forecast weather patterns, which has lead to huge loss in farm production and also overall economic growth.
Weather patterns, especially monsoon rain movements are crucial for agriculture in India as more than half of the total arable land in the country is dependent on monsoon rains. In 2009, India suffered one of its worst droughts in decades, pushing down food production as the south-west monsoon failed in many parts of the country.
?Weather forecasting is key area in which we are seeking US expertise during the coming visit of President Obama and this could also involve regular cooperation with private forecasters based in the US,? sources said. Meanwhile, also, on the agenda during the high-profile visit is further deepening ties under the already existing three working groups for strategic cooperation in agriculture and food security, food processing, agriculture extension, farm-to-market linkages, and weather and crop forecasting.
The groups were set up during a recent India-US Agriculture Dialogue held in the capital. Agricultural cooperation dates back to the early days of Indo-US relations and the first green revolution. In 2009, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh committed to taking practical steps to advance global food security and increase US-India agricultural cooperation.
Sources said under the extension and marketing initiatives between India and United States, the host nations success stories like e-chaupal and haryali kisan bazaars could be shared with the US counterparts.
Officials said the US is keen to replicate India’s success in providing food security to its citizens in other countries particularly African nations. ?For this both Indian and US government have contributed funds to undertake pilot projects and studies on the Indian food security system,? they added.