Bengaluru: With more than 50 lakh calls from farmers in the past three years alone, the Varuna Mitra helpline is preparing for a fresh surge in activity as erratic rainfall and drought-related anxieties grip the state. The helpline, which provides medium-term weather forecasts based on predictions from ISRO's Space Applications Centre, currently receives between 4,000 and 5,000 calls daily. However, in June, this number is expected to cross 15,000 calls per day, according to officials.
Helpline Background and Recent Trends
Launched in 2011, the helpline saw a record number of calls in 2023, a year when Karnataka faced drought-like conditions due to deficit rainfall, said MS Divakara, Director of the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). This year, while weather conditions remained neutral through April and May, an El Nino event may emerge in June, Divakara added. For Karnataka, historical patterns suggest that El Nino often leads to drought and below-normal rainfall. A clearer picture will emerge after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) provides its assessment post-May 15.
Operations and Farmer Engagement
The call centre, operating from KSNDMC in Bengaluru, employs around 18 young staff members who handle approximately one call per minute. Upon receiving a call, the system records the caller's name and location to keep the non-toll-free conversation as brief as possible. An official noted that calls are so regular and frequent that farmers often recognize the call centre personnel by name, and vice versa. Divakara mentioned that farmers, known for their intuition about weather patterns, sometimes call to confirm their own predictions. They might say it is cloudy and windy and ask whether it will drizzle or pour in the next 24 hours.
Integration with REWARD Project
The helpline number is linked to the World Bank-funded Rejuvenating Watershed for Agricultural Resilience Through Innovative Development (REWARD) project, which initially covered 21 districts but has since been extended to all 31 districts in Karnataka. While rain and wind speed predictions help farmers decide whether to irrigate or apply fertilisers, REWARD personnel guide them in selecting crops based on weather forecasts for the sowing cycle, explained Abhishek, a senior customer service representative. This guidance is based on inputs from scientists at agricultural universities. Farmers also call about pest issues, and the team helps them identify the right solutions or connects them with district, taluk, or hobli representatives from the agriculture or horticulture department.
Drought Vulnerability and Future Outlook
A 2020 Climate Change Scenario report by the centre highlighted that the state's 88 lakh hectares are drought-vulnerable, the highest acreage compared to other regions in Karnataka. As the state braces for potential El Nino impacts, the Varuna Mitra helpline remains a critical resource for farmers navigating uncertain weather patterns.
