Micro-level sustainability benefits through weather-based farm interventions in Bihar, India

Weather-based farm interventions hold immense potential in mitigating climatic risks to crop production, thereby enhancing farm income under changing climatic scenarios. Moreover, these interventions have a significant positive impact on the environment through reduced energy consumption and the efficient use of precious farm inputs. In this context, a study was conducted to evaluate the sustainability benefits of weather-based advisory services concerning grain yield, farm economics (benefit–cost ratio and net return) and environmental aspects (carbon and energy consumption) in rice production. The study focused on weather-based adopted and non-adopted farmers in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, India, over three consecutive kharif (monsoon) seasons from 2018 to 2020. The results revealed a significant positive impact of weather-based advisories on farmers’ income, as well as carbon and energy consumption patterns in rice production. Specifically, rice yield increased by 49.8% among farmers who followed weather forecast-based smart interventions. Additionally, for every unit currency invested, weather-based adopted farmers received benefits ranging from 1.79 to 2.01-units compared to 1.21 to 1.39 units for non-adopted farmers. The carbon sustainability index (CSI) and carbon efficiency ratio (CER) of weather-based farming practices adopted by the rice farmers were 90.8 and 76.4% higher, respectively than those of non-adopted farmers. Similarly, the energy footprint of the two groups of farmers differed significantly. The average energy productivity of adopted farmers was 0.34 kg MJ −1 , compared to 0.26 kg MJ −1 for rice grown by non-adopted farmers. The study highlights the critical role of weather-based advisories in reducing climatic risks, lowering the carbon footprint, and minimizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby contributing to sustainable rice production.