DAMU
District Agromet Unit for farmers help.......
Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS) is the flagship programme of Govt. of India for weather related services to the farmers aiding in decision making on day-to-day agricultural operations. The scheme is extended to block level to address weather needs of farmers at micro-level and it is named as DAMU (District Agromet Unit). This is a joint effort of IMD and ICAR with multi-organizational collaboration to implement various components. DAMU for Mandya District is established in the month of June, 2019 at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, V C Farm, Mandya. The unit has been serving the farmers of this District through issuing the Agromet Advisory Bulletin separately for individual talukas basing ground level information from the taluka concerned and IMD Forecast at taluk level to meet the changing needs of Agriculture in general, Horticulture and Rain fed agriculture in particular and creating awareness by conducting various training programme on importance of weather forecasts and weather based farm practices to farmers.
Methodology:
• Advisory bulletins are regularly issued twice a week on every Tuesday and Friday along with weather forecast for the next 5 days
• The weather forecast for the next five days will be given numerically by Meteorological Centre, IMD, Bangalore on every Tuesday and Friday by email which is interpreted according to the charts provided.
• The forecasts are issued in simple and regional language for better Understanding of farmers. The farmers are informed regarding forecast and guided to plan field operations with suitable modification if required.
• The review of crop growth stages, list of probable field operations to be carried out during the week, nutrient management, pest and disease occurrence and ways to control etc. are considered while preparing the bulletin in consultation with the concerned Scientists.
• The bulletins have been disseminated by KVK to District Agriculture departments, Research Centre, NGO’s and contact farmers through m-Kisan portal, email, Whatsapp, News Paper and Telephonic conversation. The farmers belonging to all the 7 taluks of Mandya district are getting benefitted by the Agromet Advisories.
