Speaking from Hyderabad, Mrityunjaya Mahapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), underscored the critical importance of developing collective mitigation strategies to address the escalating impacts of climate change across human, agricultural, and horticultural sectors.
Addressing a national conference on ‘The Impact of Climate Change on Horticulture’ in Mulugu, jointly organized by the Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University, Department of Horticulture, NABARD, and the Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (under the Ministry of Earth Sciences), Mr. Mahapatra highlighted that climate change poses a significant threat not only to farmers and the general populace but also directly affects the Meteorological Department itself. He affirmed that the department is actively pursuing appropriate strategies to counter these challenges.
Mr. Mahapatra pointed out that current weather forecasts achieve an accuracy of only 40-50%, a figure the IMD aims to significantly increase through advanced multi-forecast models. He stressed the necessity for fundamental changes in cultivation practices, the implementation of supportive policies, and careful crop selection to align with the undeniable climate shifts already in motion.
He passionately advocated for farming practices that blend ‘global action’ with ‘local production methods.’ Crucially, he called for a substantial intensification of research efforts to develop new crop varieties that are not only resilient to changing climatic conditions but also capable of delivering superior quality and bountiful yields.
Echoing this sentiment, Danda Rajireddy, Vice-Chancellor of Telangana Horticultural University, affirmed the university’s readiness to offer comprehensive technical and research-based solutions to help farmers minimize the adverse effects of climate change on the horticulture sector.
The event saw the presence of several key figures, including Agricultural Secretary M. Raghunandan Rao, Department of Horticulture Director Shaik Yasmin Basha, NABARD Chief General Manager K. Udaya Bhaskar, and Pramod Kumar Agarwal, Regional Programme Leader for the Borlaug Institute of South Asia.
The conference also marked the release of an ‘Introductory Agricultural Meteorology’ textbook and a compilation of abstracts, both prepared by leading experts in the field.