Patna: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will set up two agro-meteorological observatories in Bihar. While the first one would come up at Pusa in Samastipur district, the second would be set at Agwanpur in Saharsa district.

The purpose is to provide input related to agricultural activities which can be used by the experts, who in turn can guide farmers about various aspects related to farming.

"These observatories would have several gadgets, including the ones used for measuring soil heat, soil moisture, rate of evaporation among other parameters which are important from an agriculture point of view," an official in the IMD told The Telegraph.

The official said both the observatories would become functional by March this year.

As far as land for setting up these observatories is concerned, in Pusa it has been provided by the Rajendra Agriculture University (RAU) and at Agwanpur it would come up on the premises of the local Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).

The IMD would set up the observatory and data from these would be retrieved by personnel from RAU and KVK at Pusa and Agwanpur, respectively.

IMD would train these personnel for collecting the data from the observatory and also its maintenance.

As far as the services of these observatories are concerned, the one at Pusa would cater to the needs of farmers in West Champaran, East Champaran, Gopalganj, Saran, Siwan, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Sheohar and Begusarai districts.

The agro-meteorological observatory at Agwanpur would cater to the needs of farmers in Saharsa, Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Supaul, Madhepura and Khagaria districts.

IMD is planning to set up a similar facility for farmers of south Bihar districts too and would approach the state government for this purpose.

Narrating the benefits of such observatories, a senior official of the agriculture department said data of soil temperature, soil moisture, rate of evaporation and others would be of great help to the farmers.

"A farmer in know of soil moisture can plan the irrigation work accordingly. Similarly, rate of evaporation would help them in assessing in advance when the irrigation would be required in the field. Similarly, soil temperature helps in deciding the kind of crops and fertilisers needed for a field," said the agriculture department official.

He said these data would also be very useful for experts as based on the input provided by the observatories, they would be able to issue more specific advisories for the farmers and would also use it for developing new varieties of crops which would be best suitable for the given climatic conditions.