Integrating meteorological and indigenous knowledge-based seasonal climate forecasts for the agricultural sector
This document addresses the mechanisms and policies that can be used to support improvements in generating, disseminating, and using climate information to respond to the direct effect that extreme climatic events, such as droughts and floods, as well as changes in the mean climate, have on crops and livestock and, thus, on people’s livelihoods. It presents the meteorological seasonal climate forecasts (SCFs) and the indigenous knowledge-based seasonal forecasts (IKFs) as ways of reducing the impact of climate variability and change on food production and livelihoods to anticipate and manage annual climate-related risks.
The document answers the following questions: (i) how can farmers' and pastoralists' needs be met by the dissemination and application of meteorological information and (ii) how can SCFs complement indigenous knowledge about the climate. It aims to generate synthetic lessons and findings useful to government officials, development organizations, donors, communities affected by climate change, and a broad range of institutions working to support adaptation in Africa.
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