AgroClima Research Lab
(ARL@IITPKD)
"Explore the unseen threads that bind
climate, water, and agriculture,
crafting a resilient fabric of life..."
"Explore the unseen threads that bind
climate, water, and agriculture,
crafting a resilient fabric of life..."
Our team works on two of the most fundamental aspects of nature: weather and water. Human activities and natural cycles interact and create various interconnections and interdependencies that have global socioeconomic implications. Anthropogenic activities, global warming, and associated ocean-atmospheric interactions have caused an unprecedented increase in levels of extreme events such as floods, droughts, marine and land heat waves, etc. Prediction and forecasting of these events are crucial to natural disasters and minimize damage to people and property. Our ongoing research in water resources engineering, meteorological science, and agricultural engineering influences the planning and management of water resources, freshwater accessibility, water and food security, and promoting sustainability.
The AgroClima research team at the Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad focuses on understanding the complex relationships between climate phenomena and hydrological systems. We use state-of-the-art technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), hydrologic models, and weather forecasting models (such as the Weather Research Forecasting Model) to analyze and model extreme weather events in high resolution. The team evaluates and monitors hydrological variables and climate parameters in real time by combining spatial data and leveraging satellite imagery. Research includes exploring the impacts of climate change on water resources, creating models to assess and quantify current and future risks, and facilitating cross-sector collaboration. The team's findings aim to inform policymakers and stakeholders, promote sustainable water management, and improve technological approaches in the field of agro-hydroclimatic research.
Climatic Oscillations
Climate Change
Extreme Event Analysis
Urban Heat Island
Meteorological and Agricultural Drought Analysis
Non-Point Source Pollution
River Basin Management
Hydrologic Modelling
Hydraulic Modelling
Applied Statistics
AI/ML applications
Remote Sensing Applications in Disaster Management and Risk Analysis
Congratulations 👏
Mrs. Chinju Saju won the Best Oral Presentation Award at ECOFEST ’25 – International Conference on Accelerating Action for a Sustainable Planet: Towards SDG 2030, organized by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, on May 13, 2025.
Mr. Pushpinder Kaushal got a job at VA TECH WABAG in Chennai as an Executive Trainee.
Mrs. Chinju Saju attended the 5th International Conference on Environmental, Agricultural, Chemical and Biological Science (ICEACBS 2025), organized by Voice of Indian Concern for the Environment (VOICE), Society for Microchemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Somnogen Canada Inc. (Toronto, Canada), and All India Institute of Training and Education (AIITE), New Delhi, India, on June 7–8, 2025.
Mrs. Chinju Saju attended ECOFEST ’25 – International Conference on Accelerating Action for a Sustainable Planet: Towards SDG 2030, organized by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, on May 13, 2025.
Ms. Jadeera Aboobaker participated in a national workshop titled "Decoding Climate Change using Machine Learning" hosted by KSCSTE-Institute for Climate Change Studies, Kerala from 2nd to 4th September 2024.
Physics-aware AI/ML tool for spatiotemporal agricultural drought prediction, 2023-2025.
Enhancing simulation of hydrological fluxes by using an integrated hydrological model, 2023-2026.
Development of a River Basin Management Plan for Bharathapuzha, Kerala, 2022-2024.
Real-Time Air Quality and Weather Monitoring System for IIT Palakkad Campus, 2021-2023.
Linkage of Large-Scale Ocean-Atmospheric Phenomena on Hydroclimatic Extremes in India, 2019-2022.
Evaluating practical approaches for farm bacterial testing in support of the FSMA Produce Safety Rules. Alabama Agricultural Experiment Stations, USA, 2016-2018.
2 Ph.D. Positions
1 MS Position
If you are passionate and dedicated towards research in water and climate studies, please contact me at sarmistha@iitpkd.ac.in.
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