6km Resolution: How India's New Weather System is Revolutionizing Farming, Village by Village

India's Hyper-Local Weather Forecasting Initiative

India is now forecasting weather for individual villages with a 6-kilometer resolution. That’s not an overstatement. It’s the highest-resolution national weather model in the world, and it’s quietly changing how farming gets done.
Let's break down what this means.
On October 24, 2024, the government launched the Gram Panchayat Level Weather Forecasting Initiative. The project, known as #Mausamgram (हर हर मौसम, हर घर मौसम), delivers hyper-local forecasts to over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats.
The technology behind it is the Bharat Forecasting System (BFS). It gives farmers accurate weather data not just for their district, but for their specific cluster of villages.

So, Does It Actually Work?

This project is a joint effort between the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It’s about more than just data; it’s about results. And the reports from the field are showing that it works.
Here’s what’s happening on the ground:
Cutting Crop Losses: In areas where farmers followed the new Agromet advisories, crop losses fell by 20–25%.
Boosting Profits: By using precise forecasts to time their sowing and pesticide spraying, farmers in Maharashtra and Odisha saved money and earned more.
Smarter Water Use: In the drought-prone Marathwada region, farmers have drastically improved how they manage irrigation.
Spreading the Word: States like Tamil Nadu and Punjab are installing digital boards in villages to display these forecasts in real-time for everyone to see.
Farmers Trust the Apps: During the 2024 Rabi season, over 5 crore farmers received advisories through the Mausam and Meghdoot mobile apps. They reported trusting these IMD forecasts more than traditional media.

A Digital Extensionist's Take

For years, weather information was too broad to be useful. A forecast for an entire district didn't mean much to a farmer whose fields were 50 kilometers away.
Now, that’s changed. A farmer in a small village has access to more accurate, localized data than a major city did just a few years ago. This is a fundamental shift.
What this really means is trust. When technology delivers practical, reliable information, farmers use it. They can move from reacting to the weather to making smart decisions based on solid data. It helps them manage costs, improve yields, and stand up to an unpredictable climate. This is how real change begins—from the ground up.

About the Author

Deva Harsha Atmakuru is the Founder & CEO of Agri Tej Media, an Agri Extensionist, and a passionate agriculture content creator dedicated to exploring innovations in sustainable agri-tech. Connect with him to explore the future of agriculture.

Website: www.devaharsha.in 🌱
Portfolio: www.devaharsha.in/works-projects
Agri Tej Media: www.devaharsha.in/agritej-media

How do you think this hyper-local weather data could be used in other sectors beyond agriculture? Share your ideas in the comments!

#WeatherForecast #AgriTech #DigitalIndia #IMD #ClimateResilience #SmartFarming #ICAR #Mausamgram #BFS #BharatForecastingSystem

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