Yield variations are for 80% determined by weather
Under climate change, rainfall patterns change. Reliable weather information, advisories and timely alarms are becoming more and more valuable, especially in the agricultural sector. Agriculture is deeply dependent on weather, with farmers needing a steady mixture of sun, warmth and rains in order to reliably produce food. Yield variations are for 80% determined by weather, making tailored forecasts of vital importance to farmers
At Weather Impact, we are driven to understand how weather affects stakeholders in the Agri-Food sector. Our aim is to simultaneously save resources and optimize production. Our smart software solutions are provided as both web- or mobile applications and often in local languages. Weather Impact delivers real-time agro-meteo forecasts to both public and private companies, and directly to small-scale farmers.
“We aim at supporting farmers with real-time local weather forecasts to increase food security and strengthen resilience to climate change”
Our products and services are based on output from the ECMWF model. This model forecasts global weather at 9 km resolution, which is the best resolution available. By combining high resolution global weather data with local field knowledge, our products are both customized and scalable. We distinguish ourselves from other weather companies by providing tools that optimize decision making based on weather probabilities. Planning of typical farming activities such as planting, irrigating or hiring labour workers are forwarded or postponed based on our services.
Fig.1 The rainfall likelihood forecast in Kenya. The figure is updated every Tuesday and represents the forecast from Tuesday to Thursday.
Localized and real-time advisories to optimize farm management
Our farm management service translates localized weather information into a tailored message for agricultural planning. The service supports farmers and other stakeholders to make the right decisions for their farm management. Our advisory services inform farmers and other stakeholders in the agri-value chain about:
- The suitability of the weather for specific activities, such as planting, fertilizing or spraying;
- The favorability of the weather for the development of diseases;
- The number of days that temperatures will approach detrimental heights or lows;
- Current and potential drought conditions, based on the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and forecasted evapotranspiration;
- The likelihood that irrigation will be needed.
“The coupling of weather forecasts with crop growing cycles enables farmers to make optimized decisions for their farm management”
Small scale agriculture
Global food production is largely dependent on small-scale farmers that rely on annual rainfall for their production. These farmers often have no access to irrigation and the water available for crop growth in determined by natural rainfall patterns. Weather affects almost every aspect of agricultural business, from determining the time of planting and harvests to efficient planning of irrigation. Knowledge about current and upcoming rainfall is thus crucial for successful farm management.
Accurate weather forecasts, provided at local precision, can form a crucial link to help small scale farmers becoming more weather-adapted and climate resilient. With mobile phone technology farmers can be easily reached with localized and personalized information. Weather Impact is active in various African countries to send forecast messages to farmers, either via simple text messages or via mobile phone applications.
“In Ethiopia, the SMS rain forecast of Weather Impact is rated ‘accurate’ or ‘very accurate’ by 90% of the farmers, while 100% find it useful.”
Visit our project page for reference projects where we deliver high impact weather forecasts, for example:
- Agri-weather forecasts per mobile text message
- Weather-based farm advisories
- Weather and seasonal monitoring
- Pest and disease risk indicators
- Weather Impact also provides timely, localized extreme weather warnings
Are you interested in mobile weather services in other countries? Please contact us.