Extension Agrometeorology as the Answer to Stakeholder Realities: Response Farming and the Consequences of Climate Change

Abstract

Abstract:Extension agrometeorology is applied in agrometeorological extension work to advice and serve farmers. In agrometeorology, response farming has been developed decades ago. Climate change complicates response farming, but does not alter it. This paper reports on new operationalization of that response farming in new educational commitments in agroclimatology. It is explained how "Science Field Shops" are an example in Indonesia. This was based on a thorough analysis of what climate change means for farmers in Asia. For Africa, we report on eying the training of agrometeorological extension trainers ("product intermediaries") in West Africa, based on a thorough analysis of what climate change means for farmers in Africa. We also compare experience with reaching farmers in OPEN ACCESSAtmosphere 2013, 4 238 South Africa and farmer communities in Zambia, as new forms of supporting response farming, all under conditions of a changing climate. The paper, for the first time, connects results from four different programs the senior author is taking part in. There is first and foremost the need for training material to make it possible for the product intermediaries to participate in training extension intermediaries. This should, particularly, bring new knowledge to farmers. With what is presently available and with new approaches, climate extension should be developed and tested with farmers in ways that improve farmer preparedness and decision making.

Use of Traditional Weather/Climate Knowledge by Farmers in the South-Western Free State of South Africa: Agrometeorological Learning by Scientists

“…Furthermore, while seeking to produce scientific information to support farmers' adaptive practices, scientists themselves must adapt their own practices to better fit a coproduction of knowledge approach [47]. This is in line with experience reported from Indonesia [2,11,36], and our preliminary experience in South Africa also fits these important findings [1].…”

“…These findings suggest that scientists, policymakers, and developers of climate adaptation projects need to be more in tune with farmers' and extension workers' understandings of how weather is changing, in order to improve adaptation policy formulation and implementation [35]. Organizing Science Field Shops would make this possible [2,36].…”

“…A few well known scientists (e.g., [46]) have combined research and collaborative learning approaches to enable 'bottom-up' strategies for improved environmental and social wellbeing (see also [2] and case studies in [36]). Möller [46] complemented this by ongoing advice to national-level policy-makers for improved management of both production landscapes and Protected Natural Areas.…”

“…In this case, both parties and individuals play a crucial role in establishing their own learning and findings through study groups and other qualitative participatory methodologies [11]. Farmers were bold in learning on applications of agrometeorological products (which are prepared by Weather Services, Universities and Research Institutes from their research results), and they were actively sharing their knowledge, experiences and enthusiasm to incorporate agrometeorological advisories/services (which are products made more client friendly and operational by product intermediaries [2,36]) into their daily agricultural activities and decision-making. However, emphasis in this paper is on how they used their traditional knowledge in decision making and also on the limitations of that knowledge.…”

“…Stigter and Winarto found for example that from the scientific seasonal rainfall predictions for Indonesia "most likely seasonal rainfall scenarios" could be derived [36]. That outlook, however, quite often changed on a monthly time scale.…”