Bhubaneswar: Keeping in mind the severe impact of climate change being felt globally, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University and India Meterological Department (IMD) on Saturday agreed to collaborate in the field of meteorology and climate modelling for use in climate smart agriculture.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra and SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, aims to address issues related to climate-resilient farming and its application to aid marginal farmers.
Dr Mohapatra also called on SOA Founder President Prof. (Dr) Manojranjan Nayak and had an exchange of views.
SOA — which runs the Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IAS) and set up the Centre for Climate Smart Agriculture (CCSA) a year ago — and IMD will exchange data, expertise and advanced technologies to plan and execute pertinent joint research, capacity building, adaption strategies and field studies to address issues related to climate resilient farming and its application in the field for marginal farmers.
The two organisations will also undertake case studies, conduct research and bring out joint publications and reports besides organising round-table meetings, seminars and conferences on emerging issues in the area of climate science and its applications for the society.
IMD and SOA will also jointly explore use of emerging instruments like geospatial technologies in areas of climate science for impact-based prediction to be used by different stakeholders of Odisha.
According to the MoU, IMD will make available observational and analysed data and operational weather and climate forecast products for undertaking research and development work by SOA faculty and students on application of the same in various sectors including the farming sector.
IMD will facilitate mutually agreed Ph.D. research in climate science and its applications-related work and provide field and laboratory facilities on request. IMD will also provide laboratory access and other facilities depending upon availability to students, researchers and faculty of SOA and vice versa.
Dr Mohapatra said the MoU with SOA will facilitate joint collaboration in research and the exchange will help in growth of human resource and technology.
IMD has a lot of data – including digital data since 1901, satellite data since 1983 and doppler data since 1999 — which was freely provided to institutes for research purpose.
Referring to the 1999 super cyclone that devastated coastal Odisha killing 10,000 people, Dr Mohapatra said it served as an eye-opener.
“But since then much intervention has happened and now the objective is zero casualty,” he said, pointing out that the recent cyclone ‘Biparjoy’ — which hit the Gujarat coast — resulted in no death.
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