MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
SLIDE 17 – PROVIDING FORECASTS TO FARMERS (AS WELL AS
PROBABILITES)
• What climate information is available to farmers about the next season?
• Seasonal Climate Forecast (What is it, when is it available?)
• We can add to this El Nino and La Nina (see later)
• Short term forecasts (e.g. 10 day forecast)
The following slide is a schedule or plan of how BOTH PROBABILITES AND
FORECASTS could be provided to farmers
Provide a handout of the slide (see the end of this section of the manual) to each
participant or draw it on a flip chart before the session
SLIDE 18 + 19 – PLAN FOR HOW AN EXTENSION WORKER COULD WORK
WITH A GROUP OF FARMERS USING CLIMATE INFORMATION
PROVIDE A HAND OUT OF THIS TO PARTICIPANTS TO
LOOK AT
Briefly explain the schedule / plan by going though it from left to right. Each
column is a different time in the year
There is no need to discuss and get feedback on this plan in detail at this stage
of the training as it will be returned to later on.
SLIDE 20 - LOOKING AT EL NINO AND LA NINA YEARS
- It can be forecasted well before the season whether it is likely to be an El
Nino, La Nina or „normal‟ season
- This is because sea surface temperatures in the oceans before the season
will affect whether the season is going to be El Nino, La Nina or „normal‟.
These temperatures can be measured before the season
- In some parts of the country El Nino seasons are often drier than normal
seasons
- Also in some parts of the country La Nina seasons are often wetter than in
normal seasons
- So, first we need to know whether the location in the country is one where El
Nino /La Nina has an effect on rainfall
A Training Manual on Use of Climate Information and Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for
Agricultural Extension Staff in Zimbabwe
Page 58