Communicating Climate Products for Agriculture and Food Security ADRIAN TROTMAN CHIEF, APPLIED METEOROLOGY A ND CLIMATOLOGY CARIBBEAN INSTITUTE FOR METEOROLOGY AND HYDROLOGY Communication Guidelines for Extreme Environment Events in the Agricultural Sector Castries, St. Lucia, Thursday 3 December 2015
The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology: MANDATE to assist in improving and developing the Meteorological and Hydrological Services as well as providing the awareness of the benefits of Meteorology and Hydrology for the economic well-being of the CIMH member states. This is achieved through training, research, investigations and the provision of related specialized services and advice.
Functions of the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology & Hydrology WMO Regional Training Centre meteorology, hydrology and associated sciences Operate as a centre of research in meteorology, hydrology and associated sciences Regional Climate Data Centre - Data collection, storage, & dissemination Regional Instrument Centre Develop, maintain, repair, and calibrate meteorological & hydrological instruments Regional Centre of Excellence for Satellite Meteorology More recently Caribbean Centre for Climate and Environmental Simulations Advisor to regional governments on matters related to meteorology, climate & hydrology Provide specialized services to industry WMO Regional Climate Centre (Demonstration Phase) a natural extension in function rcc.cimh.edu.bb An arm of the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation (CMO) and an organisation of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Sixteen Member States
Global Framework for Climate Services
GFCS Components User Interface Platform - to provide a means for users, user representatives, climate researchers and climate service providers to interact Climate Services Information System - to collect, process and distribute climate data and information according to the needs of users and according to the procedures agreed by governments and other data providers Observations and Monitoring - to ensure that the climate observations necessary to meet the needs of climate services are generated. Research, Modelling and Prediction - to assess and promote the needs of climate services within research agendas 5 Users, Government, private sector, research, agriculture, water, health, construction, disaster reduction, environment,tourism, transport, etc User Interface Climate Services Information System Observations and Monitoring CAPACITY BUILDING Research, Modeling and Prediction Capacity Building - to support systematic development of the necessary institutions, infrastructure and human resources to provide effective climate services.
User Interface To provide a means for users, user representatives, climate researchers and climate service providers to interact Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) One of the WMO related Regional Climate Outlook Forum. Re-established in June 2010, CariCOF with seasonal forecasts since 2012, First dry season COF Dec. 2014 (2014-15 Season) key to stakeholder engagement. National Stakeholder Meetings Belize 2013 Dominica 2014 Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname 2015 National Climate Outlook Forum (NCOF) CIMH willing to provide technical support Developing Interactive web portal Caribbean Society for Agro-Meteorology (CariSAM) Collaboration on Information Flow - Networks, evaluation
Sectoral Meetings Already for Agriculture, DRR Forums with the farming community and agricultural extension agencies to promote a better understanding of the applications of weather and climate information Important for understanding farmers needs and how to communicate with them Means for communication, awareness, education, and feedback. Suggested wet/hurricane and dry season Began under Caribbean Agrometeorological Initiative (CAMI)
Caribbean Agrometeorological Initiative (CAMI) Implemented by CIMH, CARDI, WMO and Ten National Meteorological Services to increase and sustain agricultural productivity at the farm level in the Caribbean region through improved applications of weather and climate information using an integrated and coordinated approach Information providers, users and media www.cimh.edu.bb/cami
Climate Services Information System to collect, process and distribute climate data and information according to the needs of users and according to the procedures agreed by governments and other data providers Web page with links to climate data and information Climate web-based (interactive) portal in development Also Dewetra and Climate Impacts Database (CID) www.rcc.cimh.edu.bb
Long-Range Forecasts Consensus-based Through the CariCOF- forum of meteorologists/climatologists Max Temp SON; DJF 2015 Future Heat Waves Flood Potential Outlooks Min Temp SON; DJF 2015
Climate Outlook Newsletter Climate and Impacts Monitoring + Forecast/OUtlook 11
Drought Bulletin Drought Monitoring and Impacts + Drought Forecast/Outlook 12
Tailoring from rainfall to a drought alerting system Supporting Disaster Risk Management Drought alert maps Part persistence, part forecast Short Term Drought Based on SPI 6 month Long Term Drought at end of Wet/Huricane Season based on SPI 12 Month Activity began as a collaboration between CariCOF, CACOF and IRI Also widely used by water resources managers and agriculturists
Extreme rainfall events within the season Well received by water resources managers, but also Ag. applications Experimental The basis for a flood potential outlook. As like the drought alert the use of rainfall being tailored. The same methodology currently being investigated to look at hot spells (heat waves) with many applications (health, animal husbandry). Also dry spells with application to agriculture.
Dissemination and Communication for Agriculture and Food Security Regional Agroclimatic Bulletin Began under CAMI http://agrilinksja.com for farmers in Jamaica Preparation and dissemination of a user-friendly weather and climate bulletins and information Daily, week ten-daily, monthly, seasonally But potential for print, radio, television, mobile/cellular (SMS), farmers telecentres, farmers forums An Effective Communication Strategy to be developed under BRCCC Project Network ananlysis who are we reaching? IRAP Programme
Regional Related Bulletins Commenced under the Caribbean Agromet Initiative (CAMI) and updated monthly. Will be changed to Caribbean Society for Agricultural Meteorology (CariSAM) in early 2016 with interactive web portal for engaging, dialogue and sharing Regional Agroclimatic Bulletin Commenced at May 2015 CariCOF for wet/hurricane season in St. Lucia. Not to be published during cool season. Updated monthly. Coral reef managers, tourism, divers, fisheries Regional Coral Reef Watch
Engaging Stakeholders on Social Media Publishing information on social media: reaches existing networks that are active on social media builds awareness among general audiences gathers metrics for key insights that help us better understand who our audiences are and how they use our information CIMH Facebook followers: 1554 CIMH Twitter followers: 437 Facebook average growth rate: 25%/week Twitter average growth rate: 15%/month
National Information for Agriculture Two examples
Developing Climate Service in Jamaica for the Agriculture sector This was not an easy task 1. Meet with farmers and stakeholders to look at their needs. 2. Created several climate smart related products for the sector. 3. Build awareness of weather products through training and consultations with extension officers and farmers
Climate Smart Products Network of stations in key agriculture areas We can model and create climate friendly tools to assist our farmers
NEW PRODUCTS Monthly Farmers Bulletins http://jamaicaclimat
NEW PRODUCTS Drought Observation-SPI
NEW PRODUCTS Real time Weather Forecast (Done for any community across the island) http://agrilinksja.co
FREE SMS WEATHER ALERT (For all farmers in our database)
Trinidad and Tobago Ten-day Bulletin
Trinidad and Tobago Ten-day Bulletin
Capacity Building
Seasonal Forecast Training Pre-CariCOF training Commenced in 2012 use of CPT tool for rainfall outlook - terciles Continued with latest in November 2015 in St. Kitts and Nevis Until 2016 at least Twice per year beginning of wet/hurricane and dry seasons Stakeholder awareness building
Climate (e.g. Drought) Monitoring Training Drought Monitoring and Planning training workshops began in 2012 in collaboration with NDMC USA, and again in January 2015 More in 2016 driven by OECS and CDEMA/FAO (ADRM Plans that include drought) Three Drought Plans/Committees Drafted out of 2012 Jamaica, Grenada, St. Lucia (approved) Near Future temperature, wind Also Climate training in CIMH routine courses
Early Warning Information Systems Across Climate Timescales (EWISACTS) Supporting sector-targeting products and packaging
Step 1 better use of existing met./clim. services & information platforms synergise sectoral activities, structures and initiatives with climate services agenda Consult and partner to identify, co-produce, coimplement and evaluate services Principles Establish coordination/ ownership mechanisms Step 2 Baseline sectoral needs and provider capacity Step 3 Develop/ improve existing sector specific impact prediction Step 4 Co-develop, test, validate sectoral EWISACTs products / prototypes Methodological approach Step 5 Integrate products / prototypes within Decision Support Systems Step 6 Strengthen capacity to provide, absorb and utilize climate information
The Consortium of Regional Sectoral EWISACTs Coordination Partners CONSORTIUM CARDI CWWA CDEMA CIMH CARPHA CTO/CHTA CCREEE Weather, Agriculture Water Water and DRM Health Energy Climate Tourism
33 Historical climate event database Socio-economic and physical impacts database linked with climate events Sectoral (including agriculture) preparedness and response mechanisms linked with impacts Supporting impacts research XLV FCAC Panamá City, 17/20-11-2014
In Near Future Heat Waves human and livestock stress Re-commence work on pests and diseases validation of existing models project approved Re-commence work on irrigation needs (region to determine important crops to focus on) would also imply evapotranspiration project approved Support for the FAO ADRM planning activity in the Caribbean by supporting the production of Drought Annexes to current ADRM Plans project approved Enhancing the CID with agriculture impact information to support further tailoring
Thank you