Enabling Farmers to Adapt to Climate Change

In Uganda, agriculture is primarily rainfed, making it vulnerable to drought. The effects of higher average temperatures and more frequent and severe weather events are seen primarily in the reduction in food security, decline in the quantity and quality of water, degradation of ecosystems and negative impacts on health, settlements and infrastructure. Yet, farmers receive little or no relevant information to help them cope with drought and other climatic stresses.

The Enabling Farmers to Adapt to Climate Change project uses a set of ICT tools to collect and analyze daily weather data from sub-county weather stations and weekly crop and livestock market data from local outlets. The project then sends out location-specific agricultural advisories along with weather, crop and livestock market information to Ugandan farmers, who are among the most affected by the impacts of climate change. The project is implemented by FHI 360 — a nonprofit human development organization with work spanning 12 integrated sectors such as technology, economic development and environment — and Healthnet Uganda. Funding for the project is from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Using mobile phone technology and interactive radio, more than 200,000 farmers now receive seasonal and short-term weather forecasts, agricultural advisories, weekly livestock and crop market information, and guidance on low-cost rainwater harvesting techniques and drought and flood coping mechanisms. As a result, farmers are able to minimize crop loss and damage, making them more resilient to a changing climate.