Abstract

India’s agriculture, dominated by smallholder farmers and highly dependent on monsoon rainfall, is increasingly exposed to climate variability and extreme weather events. Rainfed systems account for nearly 60% of cultivated land and experience substantial production and economic losses due to erratic rainfall, droughts, floods and heat stress. The GraminKrishiMausamSewa (GKMS), launched in 2007 by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), was designed to translate meteorological forecasts into actionable farm-level advisories. Digital platforms such as the Meghdoot mobile application and District Agro-Met Units (DAMUs) have significantly expanded outreach and localization of advisories. Case evidence from Gujarat demonstrates high adoption rates and substantial income gains under semi-arid conditions. Despite challenges related to digital access, microclimatic variability and last-mile communication, GKMS represents a mature and scalable model of climate services for agriculture. The article concludes that strengthening hyperlocal forecasting, institutional convergence and inclusivity will be critical for realizing the program’s vision of nationwide coverage and enhanced climate resilience by 2030

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