Hyderabad
oi-Ashish Rana
The Telangana government has rolled out a new weather advisory service aimed at helping farmers make better-informed decisions amid increasingly unpredictable weather conditions. The initiative, launched on Saturday, will provide mandal-level weather updates to nearly 15 lakh farmers enrolled under the Rythu Bharosa scheme through regular mobile messages.
Telangana launched a weather advisory service for 15 lakh Rythu Bharosa farmers, delivering mandal-specific updates via mobile and AI-assisted WhatsApp, with initial forecasts indicating a low probability of monsoon onset before June 10.
Farmers to Get Mandal-Specific Weather Information
The newly introduced Telangana Weather Advisory will send location-specific updates on rainfall, temperature and other weather conditions directly to farmers. By receiving forecasts tailored to their respective mandals, farmers will be able to plan sowing, irrigation and other agricultural activities more efficiently.
The government believes that timely access to weather information will help minimise losses caused by sudden weather changes and improve agricultural productivity across the state.
First Advisory Predicts Delayed Monsoon Arrival
As part of the pilot rollout, the first advisory message focused on the expected onset of the southwest monsoon. The message, titled “When will the rainy season begin?”, informed farmers that the probability of the monsoon reaching Telangana before June 10 remains low.
According to the advisory, based on weather data available on May 28, there is only a 15 per cent chance of the rainy season commencing before June 10. However, the likelihood rises significantly thereafter, with an estimated 85 per cent probability of monsoon arrival after June 10.
The forecast was shared as a test communication to demonstrate how the advisory system will keep farmers informed about critical weather developments throughout the agricultural season.
AI-Powered Platform to Answer Farmers’ Questions
In addition to weather alerts, the platform will also offer an interactive feature for smartphone users. Farmers will be able to send queries through WhatsApp voice messages and receive responses generated by an artificial intelligence-powered system.
The AI-based support service is designed to provide weather-related guidance and help farmers address concerns related to agricultural operations. Officials say this feature will make expert information more accessible, particularly during periods of uncertain weather.
The Telangana Agriculture Department developed the advisory platform in collaboration with Development Innovation Lab India and Evidence Action. Both organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding with the department to deliver weather forecasts and advisory services on a regular basis.
Government Highlights Need for Timely Forecasts
Launching the initiative, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said the service would ensure that farmers across Telangana receive reliable and timely weather information.
He stated that all 15 lakh beneficiaries under the Rythu Bharosa scheme would be covered under the advisory system, enabling them to make informed farming decisions based on local weather conditions.
Evidence Action Country Director Ankur Garg explained that artificial intelligence is being used to strengthen weather forecasting and advisory support for the farming community.
Emphasising the importance of the initiative, Nageswara Rao noted that abrupt weather changes have increasingly disrupted agricultural activities in recent years.
“It is vital to provide farmers with accurate weather information and answer their questions,” the minister said.
Agriculture Secretary K. Surendra Mohan, Agriculture Commissioner Dr. B. Gopi and several senior officials were present during the launch of the Telangana Weather Advisory service.
