Climate Smart Actions “Saung Iklim” for Smallholder Farmers in Subang District, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

The implementation of climate change adaptation for crop production is often ineffective among farmers due to a lack of access to climatic data and inadequate knowledge on how to use the available data. The project introduced the utilization of climate data via the Climate Smart Action "Saung Iklim" application to targeted stakeholders (i.e., agricultural extension workers and farmer representatives) designed to improve farm management. The term “Saung Iklim” originally means a place where people can learn about the use of climate information for farming activities. Therefore, strengthening stakeholders’ capacity is an essential element of "Saung Iklim", which has been conducted via a series of training activities using various modules and focus group discussions. The project selected one of the major production centres of rice in Indonesia, namely the District of Subang. The district government formed a task force named “Tim Iklim”, consisting of the targeted stakeholders, to assist the project team in delivering the targeted project outputs. The project team, in collaboration with Tim Iklim, produced the modules on utilizing simulations of crop models for managing climate risks. The involvement of the stakeholders was to accommodate their input and understanding so that the modules are ready for practical purposes. The project also equipped Tim Iklim with a dedicated website, containing crop simulation model (CSM) outputs, modules, online surveys, and forums, to facilitate information delivery on managing farm risks to climate exposures.