Satellite agromet products and their adaptation for advisory services to Indian farming community

Anomalous and erratic behaviour of weather pose various challenges for agricultural community from crop sowing to post harvest. The balance between turn-around-time farm operations resource optimization can limit the expected losses due unfavourable weather. In past, thrust was given issue agromet advisories farmers a group districts blocks primarily using medium-range forecast with coarser grid resolution, records point observation condition. current advisory framework under Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS) India Meteorological Department (IMD) lacks in, near real time assessment soil conditions improve quality coverage advisories. spectral observations polar geostationary satellites provide products synoptic, real-time continuous monitoring crops. order strengthen existing GKMS, usage satellite derived daily in six AFMUs (Agro-Met Field Units) (382 60 districts) initiated by Space Applications Centre, ISRO IMD. Several such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Potential Evapotranspiration (PET), Surface Dryness (SDI), Minimum Maximum Land Temperature (LST) Soil Moisture (SSM) aggregated block district regions are provided all user friendly format since October 2019 through dedicated web link VEDAS (https://vedas.sac.gov.in) geoportal. Time series during seasons being used interpret prospect, condition, irrigation requirement, stress etc. at scales. Regular evaluation these over respective measured ground data showed 9% 10% difference PET SSM respectively, whereas, LST RMSE 2.0 K. future, specific parameters their short-term forecasting primary focus value-added Gram Panchayat level AFMUs.