Technology pact brings AI weather intel to Punjab farms.

Ludhiana: Punjab is set to revolutionise its climate-ready farming defenses through a new pact that will deploy artificial intelligence and high-tech tracking to safeguard crop yields against volatile weather.

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) have signed a memorandum of understanding to install a 300-km-range Doppler weather radar and establish a network of advanced meteorological observatories across the state.

The initiative is a response to increasing climate variability and extreme weather events that threaten regional food security.

“Weather variability remains a decisive factor in crop productivity and farm planning,” said PAU vice-chancellor S S Gosal, who described the initiative as a game-changer. “Real-time data from the new observatories will enrich the observational network and accelerate the development of weather-based advisories and AI-driven solutions for agriculture.”

Funded under the central govt’s Mission Mausam Scheme, the C-Band radar will be built at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Nag Kalan, Amritsar. The system will track western disturbances and local weather patterns, strengthening public safety through faster emergency alerts while assisting state policy decisions.

The project’s second phase involves setting up nine ground observatories to maximise regional coverage. These will be placed at KVK centers in Amritsar, Pathankot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Sangrur, Mansa, and Muktsar, alongside dedicated university research stations in Abohar and Kapurthala.

Surender Paul, director of IMD Chandigarh, and Makhan Singh Bhullar, PAU’s director of extension education, finalised the agreement. Bhullar noted that the expanded network will significantly sharpen early warning systems for farmers.

P K Kingra, head of PAU’s department of climate change and agricultural meteorology, added that the state’s agricultural sector had faced a growing need for robust forecasting systems to mitigate severe climate risks.