Evaluating the impact of agrometeorological advisory services on crop yields using propensity score matching method in Karnataka's rainfed regions

The impact of Agrometeorological Advisory Services (AAS) on agricultural productivity in four districts in the northern part of the state of Karnataka in India is assessed in this paper. We particularly focus on the role of District Agrometeorological Units (DAMUs) prior to their discontinuation in 2024. The study examines the correlation between access to AAS and crop yields for four major Kharif crops, viz., pigeon pea, pearl millet, maize, and jowar, using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method. Our results indicate a significant positive impact of AAS on crop yields. Yields for pigeon pea, pearl millet, jowar, and maize are higher by 24kg/acre, 41 kg/acre, 52 kg/acre, and 102 kg/acre, respectively, for beneficiaries as compared to non-beneficiaries. This translates into potential economic gains of approximately 962 ± 162 million across the four districts, assuming a similar proportion of non-beneficiaries across the districts as encountered in the sample. Notably, DAMUs, strategically placed in the premises of the Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), have played a pivotal role in disseminating these advisories, especially in Koppal and Ballari districts, where over 70% of cultivators reported having accessed AAS either directly or indirectly. Given that weather variability and its consequent impacts on agriculture are only projected to increase with climate change, our results indicate the need to enhance the content and dissemination of AAS by reestablishing and strengthening the DAMUs to maintain, if not improve, agricultural yields and help smallholder farmers adapt.