Accounts of Operational Agrometeorology

Here we publish short accounts on successful operational applications and services in agrometeorology (public (e.g. NMHSs) and private), as well as on action support systems (data, research, policies, extension), that are suitable for further dissemination, or on publications that are holding such accounts. [Discuss items for this section with the President or the Vice-president.]

Effects of land cover change on moisture availability and potential crop yield in the world’s breadbaskets — Last modified January 30, 2012 09:45

Effects of land cover change on moisture availability and potential crop yield in the world’s breadbaskets. This article has been downloaded from IOPscience.

Herders in drought-stricken northern Kenya get first livestock insurance payments — Last modified November 03, 2011 15:59

As livestock deaths mount, a small group of herders in Kenya's Marsabit District is first to benefit from program that tracks forage conditions via satellite.

Forest fires are becoming larger and more frequent — Last modified November 03, 2011 15:56

Research in which scientists from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) are participating analyzes the causes and characteristics of fires that have occurred in the Mediterranean basin in recent decades, and determines that rural exodus and changes in land use have increased the number and size of these fires.

Validation of rainfall forecast given by AAU Monsoon Research Almanac-2011 — Last modified October 18, 2011 12:51

In year 2011, the daily rainfall predictions were made for 26 districts of Gujarat state. Prepared by V.B. Vaidya, Kedar Damle and Vyas Pandey, Department of Agricultural Meteorology, BACA, AAU, Anand.

Microclimate management and manipulation aspects of applied agroforestry — Last modified October 17, 2011 14:22

Microclimate management and manipulation aspects of applied agroforestry. By Kees Stigter, Emmanuel Ofori, Nicholas Kyei-Baffour, and Sue Walker. The Overstory #240

Agrometeorological services in Russia - PART II: Agromet information and services — Last modified May 20, 2011 08:47

PART II: Agromet information and services. Ministry of Natural Recourses of Russia, Federal Service of Hydro-Meteorology and Environment Monitoring, National Institute of Agricultural Meteorology.

Rainfall Forecast of Gujarat for Monsoon 2011 based on Monsoon Research Almanac — Last modified May 16, 2011 09:08

M.C. Varshneya, V.B. Vaidya, Vyas Pandey, A.M. Shekh L.D. Chimote, and K.S. Damle, Anand Agricultural University, Anand – 388 110, Gujarat.

Community participatory agrometeorological services — Last modified April 19, 2011 09:44

Public remarks at the launching of the “Handbook for Community Agrometeorological Participatory Extension Services” at the College of Agriculture, Monze, Zambia, on 14 April 2011, by Prof. Kees Stigter on behalf of INSAM.

Agrometeorological Learning of Farmers through Measuring Rainfall and Observing Fields and Crops — Last modified November 10, 2010 10:57

Farmers are known as good observers of their own fields and habitats. Their ways of knowing and the body of their local knowledge is called ilmu titèn (the ways of carrying out careful and detailed observations, and the results that are memorable) by the Javanese farmers in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They were recently questioning the indicators for decision making they traditionally referred to at the time they used to start planting according to their local cosmology (pranata mangsa). These indicators appeared no longer adequate in their present form. From their training in a Climate Field School (CFS), they knew that climate change was influencing their habitat.

Validation of rainfall forecast given by AAU Monsoon Research Almanac-2010 — Last modified November 01, 2010 15:06

In year 2010, the daily rainfall predictions were made for 26 districts of Gujarat state. The validation of this forecast on Yes/No basis for season as a whole indicated that accuracy varied between 64 to 75% for different zones (Table 1). Comparatively, the accuracy of forecast was good in the month of July to September except June. The average accuracy of daily rainfall forecast for state as a whole was 55.5% in June, 78.9% in July, 79.3% in August and 71.2% in September. The skill scores averaged for four months (June to September) indicated that, it was 75%, 63.5%, 73.7% and 72.8% for four regions viz. Middle Gujarat, North Gujarat, South Gujarat and Saurashtra respectively (Table 1). Gujarat state as a whole has recorded 71.3% skill score.