With changes in weather patterns causing widespread crop losses and low yields, the agriculture ministry is roping in the government’s National Test House to do the vetting.

Current alerts received from the weatherman are “fragmented and inaccurate”, one of the officials said.

NTH scientists will also evaluate crop loss data collected by agencies of the agriculture ministry for compensations to be paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) or national crop insurance, the officials said. As per the plan, NTH, which comes under the ministry of consumer affairs, will offer ‘quality assurance partnership’ to the Weather Information Network and Data System or WINDS, launched by the government last year, for generating long-term hyper-local weather data, the first official said.

Under the proposed project, NTH scientists will inspect and audit automatic weather stations and rain gauges across the country for their siting, equipment and data transmission procedures.

WINDS is an initiative of the agriculture ministry to strengthen the weather data infrastructure and provide high-quality data sets from a single digital platform.

Currently, crop loss data is collected manually, leading to a higher chance of anomalies in insurance claims.

Crop insurance claims worth around ₹2,761 crore under the PMFBY were pending till 2021-22, with Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat reporting the highest pendency, Parliament was told last year.

Claims under the PMFBY are generally paid by insurance companies within two months of harvesting and one month of notification for invoking the risks of “prevented sowing, mid-season adversity and post-harvest losses”.

Scientific assessment of weather data from every district and panchayat will help in forecasting crop production estimates and crop losses, the second official said.

Additionally, NTH scientists will visit data collection centres to recalibrate weather assessment tools for error-free weather forecasting. They will also evaluate soil moisture content and advise on the soil’s suitability for crops such as chana, mustard and wheat, this official said.

Dr Rakesh Arrawatia, finance professor at the Institute of Rural Management Anand, said,“Using satellite images is going to play a critical role in agriculture over the next 10 years by providing valuable data for insurance claims, verifying claim accuracy, and enhancing agricultural practices. This technology can offer insights into crop health, moisture levels, and other crucial factors, enabling more informed decision-making and ultimately improving productivity.”

Officials say accurate weather data is crucial to determining the correct share of financial contributions to states in droughts, floods and unseasonal rains. It enables the government to assess the extent of damage and allocate resources effectively to mitigate the impact on affected farmers and communities.

Queries sent to the ministries of consumer affairs and agriculture remained unanswered till press time.