What the project intends to do is take data collected from space to the farmer's doorstep. Throughout the season, the farmer has to contend with numerous problems like diseases that stunt or kill his crops. With this data, the farmer will be able to tackle these problems in the nick of time, thus saving and qualitatively improving his produce. And accuracy of the data is the key word in this project.

Says S K Shaha, deputy director general of Agrometeorology (AGRIMET), ``With the data from the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) in Hyderabad, we will formulate a model that will forewarn the farmers about impending stresses that might stunt their crop.''Thus forewarned, the farmer can be forearmed, almost winning the battle against natural or man-made stresses.

During cultivation, timing is the key word. Proper information disseminated at the right time can mean the difference between a good crop and a bad one. A crucial factor in a country that has its economy based on agriculture. The project was envisaged by R R Kelkar (present director general of IMD in Delhi) and Shaha in 1996. The Council of Meteorological and Atmospheric Sciences, the apex body for approving such projects, gave the go ahead in March 1999 and the AGRIMET team got going.

Says Shaha, ``The uniqueness of the project lies in the fact that it will address a particular area and a particular variety of crop.'' Which in other words, makes the farmer take adequate precautions on a day-to-day basis against a stress that is affecting his crop. Something that other models may not be able to address with the accuracy envisaged.

Usually, earlier projects would focus on a large area and thedata would not be as area or variety-specific as this one intends to. And the accuracy and resolution of the data provided by remote sensing satellites is extremely reliable.

Says P P Kale, former director of the Space Applications Centre, Ahemdabad, ``Today, our satellites have a resolution of 5.8 mt. The pictures that such a high degree of resolution produces will be extremely accurate. And the future shall see a higher degree of resolution.'' So the pictures get bigger, better and brighter.

With the country getting a good monsoon for the 12th consecutive year, quantity is not the problem, quality is. The factor that prevents India from becoming an active partner in the global market. Such projects, if implemented successfully, ensure that quality takes a quantum jump.

The benefits are immense, if successfully implemented, claims Shaha. ``Better strategic planning by the farmer makes better economic sense. We help him produce a better product and sell it in a global market in the future. He also saveson unnecessary expenditure,'' he says.

According to Shaha, some of the most common stresses on crops are moisture and diseases. Just like scarcity of water can kill a good crop, excess water can also prove to be as dangerous. ``With this data, we can advise on the quantity of water to be used.''

Of course, diseases or pests are the other factors that the framer dreads. That is where his eyes on the sky chips in. The remote sensing data immediately provides adequate intelligence and timely action can be taken, thus saving the farmer's livelihood.

Once an effective model comes through, the IMD plans to give out bi-weekly AGROMET advisory bulletins that will help the farmer. ``In the beginning, we will limit ourselves to a very small area and concentrate on a particular variety.'' If the model proves successful, then IMD will expand to its 17 other centres in the country.

The project does have a few hurdles that have to be crossed. The heterogeneous nature of the agricultural produce in small areabecomes a problem. Explains Shaha, ``There are different kinds of crops being cultivated right next to each other. This could be a problem that we will have to overcome.'' But once this is achieved, the project could be well on its way to scripting success stories.