Effectiveness of district agromet advisory bulletins in improving economic efficiency of rice cultivation in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh

Introduction

Agriculture is inherently sensitive to weather and climate variability, particularly in tropical countries like India, where fluctuations in rainfall, temperature, humidity, and extreme weather events significantly influence crop productivity and farm income. Weather aberrations such as droughts, floods, heat waves, and unseasonal rains often lead to substantial yield losses and economic instability for farmers (Stern, 2007; IPCC, 2014) [12,5] . Among major crops, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is highly climate-sensitive due to its dependence on water availability and its susceptibility to temperature stress during critical growth stages such as flowering and grain filling (Yoshida, 1981; Wassmann et al., 2009) [17,16] . To mitigate the adverse effects of weather variability and enhance agricultural decisionmaking, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has implemented Agrometeorological Advisory Services (AAS) under the Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) scheme. These services provide location-specific, weather-based advisories that guide farmers on critical agricultural operations such as sowing, irrigation scheduling, fertiliser application, pest and disease management, and harvesting (Rathore et al., 2013; Maini & Rathore, 2011) [11,7] . The advisories are based on medium-range weather forecasts and are disseminated regularly to help farmers minimise weather-related risks and optimise resource use. In recent years, the outreach and effectiveness of AAS have been strengthened by establishing District Agromet Units (DAMUs) at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). These units generate block-level agromet advisory bulletins tailored to local agro-climatic conditions and cropping systems.

The dissemination of advisories through multiple channels such as SMS, mobile applications, WhatsApp groups, and extension services has significantly improved farmers' access to timely and actionable information (Venkataraman et al., 2017) [14] . Empirical studies have demonstrated that the adoption of agrometeorological advisory services can lead to improved crop productivity, reduced cultivation costs, and enhanced farm profitability. For instance, studies by Tripathi et al. (2014) [13] and Vyas et al. (2016) [15] reported that farmers adopting AAS achieved higher yields and better economic returns due to efficient input management and timely farm operations. Similarly, Anurag et al. (2018) [2] found that AAS helped reduce climate-related risks and improve resilience among farming communities. Despite these advancements, region-specific assessments of the economic impact of district-level agromet advisory services remain limited, particularly in districts such as Fatehpur. Given the importance of rice cultivation in this region and its vulnerability to weather variability, evaluating the effectiveness of AAS in improving economic efficiency is essential for strengthening climate-resilient agricultural practices. Therefore, the present study aims to assess the effectiveness of district agromet advisory bulletins in improving the economic efficiency of rice cultivation in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh by comparing the performance of AAS and non-AAS farmers.

Materials and Methods

The present study was conducted in Fatehpur district, where the District Agro-Meteorological Unit (DAMU) operates under the Krishi Vigyan Kendra. The district lies in the central plain region of Uttar Pradesh and experiences a subtropical climate characterized by hot summers, a monsoon season, and cool winters. Rice is a major Kharif crop of the region. For the study, three blocks-Haswa, Vijayipur, and Malwan-were selected. A total sample of 180 farmers was drawn, comprising 90 AAS farmers (beneficiaries) and 90 non-AAS farmers (non-beneficiaries). Farmers were categorized into two groups: (i) AAS farmers, who received and followed agrometeorological advisory bulletins issued by DAMU, KVK Fatehpur, and (ii) non-AAS farmers, who did not use advisory services. A representative sample from selected villages was chosen using a simple random sampling technique. Primary data were collected during 2022-2025 through personal interviews using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Data were gathered on key economic parameters of rice cultivation, including cost of cultivation (Rs/ha), grain yield (q/ha), gross returns (Rs/ha), and net returns (Rs/ha). Additionally, for AAS farmers, information on advisory utilization was collected, including source of advisory (SMS, WhatsApp, mobile apps, KVK, others), frequency of receipt (twice weekly, weekly, occasional), adoption level (fully, partially, not followed), and perceived usefulness in farm operations such as irrigation scheduling, fertilizer application, pest and disease management, and harvest planning. Economic analysis was carried out using standard cost-return concepts. Gross return was estimated by multiplying grain yield with the prevailing market price of rice, while net return was computed as the difference between gross return and cost of cultivation. The benefitcost (B:C) ratio was calculated to assess the economic efficiency of rice cultivation under both AAS and non-AAS conditions.

Results and Discussion Adoption and Utilization of Agrometeorological Advisory Services

The results indicated that agrometeorological advisory services were widely adopted by farmers in the study area. WhatsApp was the primary source of dissemination (50.00%), followed by call-based services and extension workers (16.67% each). Most farmers (72.22%) received advisories twice weekly, ensuring timely access to weather information. A high proportion (86.67%) fully followed the advisories, reflecting strong trust in their usefulness (Table 1). Farmers reported that advisories were most beneficial for irrigation scheduling (33.33%) and fertilizer application timing (27.78%), followed by pest management and harvest planning (Table 2). The effective use of advisories improved farm decision-making, enabling efficient resource utilization and reduced input costs. Consequently, AAS farmers achieved higher yields and net returns compared with non-AAS farmers. Overall, the findings demonstrate that agrometeorological advisory services significantly enhance economic efficiency and support climate-resilient rice cultivation. These findings suggest that farmers primarily rely on advisories for time-sensitive operations that are directly influenced by weather conditions. Similar observations have been reported by Meena and Singh (2017) [8] , who emphasized the importance of ICT-based advisory services in enhancing farmers' decision-making capacity.

The analysis of cost of cultivation revealed that farmers adopting agrometeorological advisory services incurred comparatively lower production costs than non-AAS farmers. The pooled cost of cultivation was Rs 49,542/ha for AAS farmers, which was 5.25% lower than Rs 52,286/ha for non-AAS farmers (Table 3). The lower cost among AAS farmers may be attributed to improved input management practices recommended in agrometeorological advisory bulletins. Weather-based advisories enable farmers to plan irrigation, fertilizer application, and plant protection measures according to forecasted weather conditions. This helps reduce unnecessary input use and prevents economic losses associated with inefficient farm operations. Similar findings were reported by Rathore and Maini (2008) [10] , who observed that agrometeorological advisory services significantly reduce production costs by improving resource-use efficiency.

Yield Performance (q/ha) Rice yield was consistently higher among AAS farmers compared with non-AAS farmers. The pooled yield was 47.5 q/ha compared to 39.5 q/ha for non-AAS farmers, representing a 20.25% increase (Table 3). Agrometeorological advisories provide timely recommendations related to transplanting dates, irrigation scheduling, pest and disease control, and fertilizer management. Adoption of these practices enables farmers to perform critical crop operations at appropriate times, thereby improving crop growth and productivity. Similar results were reported by Gupta et al. (2017) [3] , who found that farmers receiving agromet advisories achieved significantly higher crop yields compared with nonbeneficiary farmers.

The higher productivity observed among AAS farmers led to higher gross returns than among non-AAS farmers. The pooled gross return was Rs 112,583/ha, which was 18.52% higher than Rs 94,990/ha recorded for non-AAS farmers (Table 3). The increase in gross returns is primarily due to improved crop productivity resulting from timely weatherbased management practices. Agrometeorological advisory services help farmers mitigate weather-related risks and adopt appropriate agronomic practices, ultimately enhancing crop yields and farm income. Anandhi et al. (2018) [1] also reported that agrometeorological advisory services significantly improve crop productivity and economic returns for farmers.

Net returns represent the actual profit farmers obtain after deducting the cost of cultivation from gross returns. The study found that AAS farmers achieved significantly higher net returns than non-AAS farmers. The pooled net return was Rs 63,040/ha compared to Rs 42,703/ha for non-AAS farmers, indicating a 47.62% advantage (Table 3). This indicates that AAS farmers earned nearly 48 percent higher profits compared with farmers who did not utilise agrometeorological advisories. The higher net returns among AAS farmers can be attributed to both increased crop productivity and reduced cultivation costs. Similar findings were reported by Kumar et al. (2019) [6] , who observed that weather-based agrometeorological advisory services contribute to increased farm income and improved economic efficiency.

Benefit-Cost Ratio

The benefit-cost ratio is an important indicator of the economic efficiency of crop production systems. The results showed that the benefit-cost ratio was higher among AAS farmers compared with non-AAS farmers. The average B:C ratio for AAS farmers was 2.26, whereas non-AAS farmers recorded a B:C ratio of 1.81 (Table 3). A higher B:C ratio indicates that farmers who adopted agrometeorological advisory services obtained greater economic returns per unit of investment. This finding confirms that adopting weatherbased advisory services improves the economic sustainability of rice cultivation by optimising resource utilisation and minimising weather-related risks. Similar results were reported by Pandey and Patel (2021) [9] , who concluded that agrometeorological advisory services significantly enhance farm profitability and climate resilience.

Conclusion

The study concludes that agrometeorological advisory services (AAS) delivered through DAMU significantly improved the economic efficiency of rice cultivation in Fatehpur district. Farmers receiving advisories demonstrated higher adoption of weather-based recommendations, primarily through mobile platforms such as WhatsApp, and utilized them effectively for key operations like irrigation scheduling, fertilizer application, and pest management. This resulted in more efficient use of resources, reduced cultivation costs, and improved crop productivity. Consequently, AAS farmers achieved higher yields, greater net returns, and a superior benefit-cost ratio compared to non-AAS farmers. The findings clearly establish that timely and location-specific agromet advisories enhance farm decision-making, increase profitability, and contribute to climate-resilient agriculture. Strengthening dissemination mechanisms and expanding farmer awareness can further enhance the impact of these services on agricultural sustainability and income.

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