joint gwp cee/dmcsee training: communication and drought by robert stefanski
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Joint GWP CEE/DMCSEE training: Communication and Drought by Robert StefanskiTRANSCRIPT
Communication and Drought
R. Stefanski
Chief, Agricultural Meteorology Programme
WMO
Communication Channels TV, Radio, Newspapers
Social media (Facebook, twitter)
Internet – webpages
Bulletins
Face-to-face interactions
Workshops and meetings
Presentations and briefings
One-on-one technical assistance
Coordination with other ongoing projects
Training Courses
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Users of Agrometeorological
Information
Any agricultural decision-maker:
International officials (i.e. Red Cross, WFP, UN)
Government official
Extension agent
Farmers, ranchers, foresters, fishers
Media
General public
Effective Communication Is information relevant for decisions in particular
agricultural system?
Are the sources/providers of information credible to intended user?
Are farmers receptive to information & to research?
Is research accessible to policymaker or decision-maker?
Is the information compatible with existing decision models and farming practice?
Do decision-makers have the capacity to use information?
(Jones, 2003; Pulwarty et al., 2003)
Requirements For climate information and forecasts to be used, four general requirements are identified:
1) Stakeholders (or intermediaries) must be able to obtain information from forecasts or existing information on factors or variables of direct interest to them and at lead times that allow for planning;
2) Paths to decisions must be clear and practical;
3) Stakeholders must be able to critically question the provided information to assess approriateness;
4) Stakeholders must be convinced that such information, when used effectively, will indeed make them better off than before.
Basic Recommendations
Don’t promise too much to quickly.
Start with basic, easily accessible weather
data and simple derived products.
For example, percentile maps, SPI
Basic Recommendations Relate the weather data to meaningful
agricultural information.
While reported weather information may be
useful without further elaboration, impact on
agriculture is the ultimate goal. How does
reported information affect crop growth and
yield potential?
How does current weather situation compare
to a past known event, which had an impact on
agriculture?
Basic Recommendations
Don’t oversell the information.
Drought has a direct impact on crop yield potential. However, other factors such as farm management practices (cultivation, fertilization, and migration) and technology changes (seed hybrids, conservation practices) may also influence yield potential.
Basic Recommendations
Establish credibility slowly but surely.
There is an essential need to establish consistency and reliability in reporting. While responsive to changing user requirements and increasing demands for information, there is an absolute mandate to strive toward standards of reporting and effective quality control mechanisms.
Basic Recommendations
Be proactive in demonstrating the usefulness of your products.
Always strive to improve the quality of the bulletin with new products and better representation of existing products.
Periodic user forums or surveys should be encouraged to maintain the necessary contact with the client of your bulletin.
Basic Recommendations
Training and education is an essential component.
This must involve both the providers and users of data and information. Both parties involved in the agrometeorological bulletin must be able to ‘speak’ and ‘understand’ the same technical language.
Basic Recommendations
Look to pool resources.
Human and financial resources are very often limited.
share ideas, exchange experiences, establish standard guidelines, and formulate recommendations for bulletin improvements.
With proper recognition for contributions and mutual access to the products, great strides can be achieved more rapidly by a concerted and coordinated effort.
KYENVU Kulabula
Atusa Uganda Met Kalangala
02:19 AM 17:02:12
Ekisera: 6am – 6pm
Okulabula: BEERA NGOMANYI
Omuyaga: GW’AMAANYI ENNYO
Embera y?obudde
ENKUBA N’OKUBWATUKA
KW’EGULU WANO
N’AWALI
Wokoma kulaba: WAKIGERO
All photos © C. de Wet Namisoke landing site, Bubeke, Kalangala district, February 2012
15
Roving Seminars
on Weather,
Climate and
Farmers
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Seminar content is adapted to the local conditions of the country and regions
Roving seminars 1-2 day duration and bring
together farmers from a group of villages to a centralized location in any given region
Based on the success from Mali, raingages distributed to the farmers at each seminar.
The focal point of each country, with assistance from Mali, prepared agrometeorological advice that was provided to the farmers along with the raingauges.
Roving Seminars on Weather, Climate
and Farmers in West Africa
17 17
2009 Seminar - Mali Met Service Presentation
18 18
2009 Seminar – Farmers ask Questions
19 19
2009 Seminar – Demonstration of Raingauge
20
Distribution of Rainguages
to Nigerian Farmers
Partnerships
www.wmo.int
Thank you for your attention