IFPRI- CSISA organized a one day high level policy roundtable on Sustainable Intensification in India’s Risk-Prone Ecologies: Investment strategies for productivity growth, resource conservation, and climate risk management” on May 19, 2014 in New Delhi. This roundtable, brings together a high-level small group of individuals from the corporate, government, and research sectors to address one of India’s most urgent challenges to food security and economic growth—how to encourage private sector investment in accelerating productivity growth in India’s risk-prone ecologies while simultaneously conserving the environment. There are solutions already in farmers’ fields and rural markets that respond to these challenges, and this Roundtable will highlight recent advances, for example: innovative financial products and information services for small-scale farmers; diagnostic tools for managing water and soil nutrient scarcity; custom-hired resource-conserving machinery for small farms; crop diversification and high-value marketing strategies; and stress-resistant wheat and rice varieties. But the search for solutions is far from complete. This Roundtable is meant to engage participants in a rapid-fire discussion of recent technical solutions in Indian agriculture, the prospects for policy change, and corporate outlooks for the next five years. The purpose is to help public and private sector players to identify common investment strategies, forge partnerships, and chalk out collaborative efforts to effect technological, market, and policy improvements in India’s risk prone ecologies.

1. Integrated Systems since 1990
www.weathersysbkc.com
KNOWLEDGE-BASED AGRO ADVISORIES:
GOING BEYOND RAINFALL PREDICTION
Dr. B. K. Singh
BKC WeatherSys Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, India
May 19, 2014
CSISA Roundtable, New Delhii

2. Integrated Systems since 1990
•BKC WeatherSys Pvt. Ltd. (formerly known as BK Consimpex Pvt. Ltd.) is one of India’s
first private sector meteorology and environmental technology companies.
•Founded in 1989, BKC WeatherSys provides turn-key technology and service solutions
for weather, power, aviation, agriculture and solar energy industries.
•Headquartered in a 30,000 sq. ft. facility in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, BKC WeatherSys
employs ~50 engineers, meteorologists and support staff.
Introduction

3. Integrated Systems since 1990
A 20 year old Knowledge-based Company
•Turn key solution provider for Solar Monitoring
Systems and solar forecasting including module
performance
Solar Monitoring
• Turnkey installations & support of Weather Monitoring
Systems and devices including radars & satellite data
reception systems , including devices for climate
resilient agriculture
Weather Monitoring
• Customized software for meteorology and
development of systems for met data reception,
analysis and visualization , including GIS Systems (IMD,
IAF, Navy, DRDO)
Software
Development
• Customized Operational Weather Data to print,
electronics and end users in Energy, Oil & Agro sectors.
(Spun-off in 2011 as Skymet Pvt. Ltd).
Weather Forecasting
ISO 9001:2008 Certified by DNV and NABCB (QMS 001) for Design, Development, Supply & Installation of
IT Enabled Turn Key Solutions including software related to Meteorological & Environmental requirements
Core Competencies

4. Integrated Systems since 1990
Our CustomersKey Institutional Customers
India Meteorology
Department
Indian Institute of Tropical
Meteorology
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Indian NavyIndian Air Force
Airports Authority of IndiaOil and Natural Gas Corporation IIT Kanpur IIT Bombay IIT Delhi
Council of Industrial
& Scientific Research
Indian Agricultural
Research Institute
Indian Space Research
Organization
Space Application
Centre
National Physical
Laboratory
Indian Council of
Agricultural Research

5. Integrated Systems since 1990
Our Customers
Key Corporate Customers

6. Integrated Systems since 1990
Agriculture and Meteorology in India
District Agromet Advisory Bulletin
30 AMFUs-State Agri.
Univs.
Farmers
State Agromet Advisory Bulletin
22 AAS Units-State
Capitals
State ACWWG
National Agromet Advisory Bulletin
India Meteorology
Department
CWWG, Ministry of
Agriculture

7. Integrated Systems since 1990
metGIS
AGRO
Advisory and
Contingency
Planning
based on
Weather

8. Integrated Systems since 1990
Save Algorithm
metGIS Agro
Run Algorithm
Generate Report
Forecasting Tools:
• Crop Health
• Pests
• Diseases
Define
Thresholds
SMS/AGROMET
ADVISORIES
Work Flow of metGIS_Agro

9. Integrated Systems since 1990
Major Wheat Growing Areas in Uttar Pradesh & Bihar

10. Integrated Systems since 1990
Weeks
Months
Growth Stages of Wheat

11. Integrated Systems since 1990
Vegetative Growth
Grain Formation
Maturity
Temperature
Wheat Crop (Irrigated) 2014: Muzaffarpur, Bihar
Rainfall
Germinatio
nSowing
Flowering
Actual Rainfall
Ideal Rainfall
Actual TempIdeal Temp

12. Integrated Systems since 1990
40 40
Diseases Predicted For 2014 Wheat Crop:
Powdery Mildew, Leaf Blight

13. Integrated Systems since 1990
Powdery Mildew
• Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, causes powdery
mildew of wheat
Symptoms Powdery Mildew
• Signs on the foliage of wheat are white, powdery
mycelium and conidia, stunting of wheat
Cycle
• Wheat powdery mildew thrives in cool humid
conditions and cloudy weather increases chances
of disease.
Management
• Use of Nitrogen fertilizers, non-host crop rotation,
chemical control with fungicides such as
triadimefon and propiconazole.
Diseases of Wheat: Powdery Mildew

14. Integrated Systems since 1990
Cause
Helminthosporium leaf blights (HLB) caused by both
Cochliobolus sativus and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis
pathogens resulting disease causes significant yield losses
overall 22% to complete failure of crop under severe
epidemics, Rice-Wheat Cropping Pattern, increase in
inoculum potential associated with this system
Symptoms Cause
• The small dark brown spots on the leaves contrast with the
larger, light brown spots or blotches
Management
• As pathogens are dynamic, an integrated approach is needed
include varieties of resistance sources, disease free seeds,
treatment of seeds, proper crop rotation and fertilization,
reduce inoculum sources and use of chemicals
Diseases of Wheat: Leaf Blight

15. Integrated Systems since 1990
Major Basmati Rice Growing Areas in Punjab

16. Integrated Systems since 1990
Basmati Rice Crop (Irrigated) 2013: Amritsar, Punjab
Rainfall
Temperature
Maturity
Actual Rainfall
Ideal Rainfall
Actual TempIdeal Temp

17. Integrated Systems since 1990
Major Maize Growing Areas in Madhya Pradesh

18. Integrated Systems since 1990
Vegetative Growth
Cob
Development
Maturity
Temperature
Maize Crop (Irrigated) 2013: Rajgarh, MP
Germination
Sowing
Silking &
Tasselling
Rainfall Maturity
Actual Rainfall
Ideal Rainfall
Actual TempIdeal Temp

19. Integrated Systems since 1990
Meteogram of Begusari (Bihar) of 16-05-2014

20. Integrated Systems since 1990
metGIS
AGRO
Advisory and
Contingency
Planning
based on
Weather

21. Integrated Systems since 1990
Data
Collection
Analysis
Action
BKC WeatherSys
with Local
Partner
BKC WeatherSys
BKC WeatherSys
with Local
Partner
From Decision Support to Farmer: Partnerships are Key

22. Integrated Systems since 1990
Thank you!
bk@weathersysbkc.com