WUR combines science with local knowledge to develop weather app for African agriculture

Local knowledge

Satellites provide the meteorological data for the SAFE4ALL weather app, but these satellite data are combined with the local knowledge of smallholder farmers. Spyros: ‘They have no prior knowledge of modern weather forecasts, so they also want the possibility to add their own indigenous knowledge on weather forecasting. For example, farmers can see from the behaviour of caterpillars that a dry period is approaching. Or, when ants take the eggs out of their nest, it means that rain is coming, with far greater certainty than what modern weather forecasts predict. Some of these predictions are valid and accurate, while others are not. However, it is our duty to integrate indigenous knowledge with science.’

Co-creation

By combining modern and local knowledge, a weather forecast is created that farmers trust. ‘In a process of co-creation, we tailor the DROP app to the needs of the people in Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe.’ The DROP app was developed by WUR, is already operational in Bangladesh and Guatemala and is now being tested by farmers and agricultural advisers in the three African countries.

The SAFE4ALL project responds to three challenges for Africa’s rural areas: climate change, disaster management and food security. By mitigating these challenges, the project hopes to reduce rural-urban migration in these countries.

Climate Atlas

The project is co-innovating a total of nine tools in living labs in Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. For example, Spyros and his partners are also developing a Climate Atlas and associated Climate Stories for diverse audiences. They are also working on a Foodshed Information Service that will provide short and long-term yield forecasting for policy makers, to help them understand how sustainable, resilient, vulnerable and sufficient their food systems are.

‘Based on climate data, we create stories about how the climate is changing and periods of drought and unpredictable floods are increasing. Farmers can tailor their crop plan and sowing dates to this, and policy makers can design their food production infrastructure from farm to table.’

Workshop

SAFE4ALL organised a meeting in Ghana in April which the stakeholders attended to discuss and better understand their specific needs. Last November, SAFE4ALL organised a similar workshop in Kenya. Spyros: ‘We exchanged knowledge there. When we talked about the climate effects on livestock farming and arable farming, the local participants responded: we also do fish farming! And when we explained that tomato cultivation was no longer possible due to the drought, because tomato need 180 liters of water per year, the farmers said: we grow tomatoes with much less water, no problem! We learn from each other every time.’

Fertiliser

This exchange of knowledge leads to tailoring the information in the SAFE4ALL tools to the needs of the users. ‘For example, the farmers indicated in the workshop that there are two critical moments when they need weather information: when they are going to sow and when the crops are going to ripen.’ Furthermore, the weather forecast also helps the farmers to determine when they should spread fertiliser. In fact, previous studies from Spyros showed that when farmers have enhanced capacity to use weather forecast, 100% of them schedules their fertiliser and pest application activities based on the weather.

Smartphone

The weather forecast DROP app is usually offered as an app on the phone. Most of the farmers now have a smartphone, says Spyros. The introduction of mobile phones and the spread of internet in Africa is rapidly increasing, especially among the younger generation; many children play games on their smartphones, or use it to do their school chores. But at the same time, the project must also take into account age-old customs. ‘In Ghana, the weather does not determine whether farmers are going to sow; firstly they have to ask permission from the local chief and he decides if they can perform agricultural work that particular season.’

The nice thing about the project, says Spyros, is that all the tools come from existing technology that is already tested and used in the Netherlands and other EU countries. ‘We are not trying to re-invent the wheel. The focus of the project is on co-creation.’ The SAFE4ALL project lasts four years, costs five million euros and is funded by the EU. When the project is finished in three years, the developed products are expected to be transferred to the local partners.