Nagaon: An awareness meeting on “Weather, Climate, and Agriculture” was organised at No. 2 Pipal Pukhuri village in Lanka, under Udali Development Block of Hojai district, to help farmers understand climate change and adopt better farming practices.
The programme was jointly organised by the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Shilongoni, under Assam Agricultural University, and the India Meteorological Department. More than a hundred farmers from the area attended the meeting. Local farmer Biplab Das chaired the session and welcomed the visiting scientists.
Agricultural meteorologist Dr Navjyoti Deka explained the purpose of the Rural Agro-Meteorological Service and highlighted how weather information can support farming decisions. He spoke about climate-resilient crop varieties and modern technologies that can reduce crop loss caused by irregular rainfall, temperature changes, and extreme weather events. He also explained how agro-weather advisories based on accurate forecasts help farmers plan sowing, irrigation, fertiliser use, and harvesting at the right time.
Senior scientist Dr Jyotirekha Hazarika encouraged farmers to use good-quality seeds and crop varieties suitable for changing climate conditions. She stressed the need to follow scientific farming methods to improve productivity and income. She also suggested drought-tolerant varieties like Konidhan to manage farming during dry periods and uncertain rainfall.
Dr Hiranya Kumar Debnath spoke about crop diseases that may increase due to the present weather conditions. He discussed common diseases affecting crops such as paddy, mustard, and pulses, and shared simple preventive measures and management practices that farmers can easily adopt in their fields.
Dr Deka also introduced mobile-based services like the "Meghdoot"app, which provides weather-based crop advisories, and the "Damini" app, which gives lightning alerts. He explained how these services can help farmers receive timely information, protect their crops, and ensure personal safety.
The programme helped strengthen the link between scientists and farmers. Participants said the information shared during the meeting would help them face climate challenges more confidently and improve farm planning. The organisers said such awareness programmes are important for promoting sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture in rural areas.