World Meteorological Organization Working together in weather, climate and water WMO OMM In Depth Report of the President of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM) Dr Jim Salinger President of CAgM WMO www.wmo.int Challenges facing food production WMO OMM • The world population is projected to grow from 6.8 billion today to 8.3 billion in 2030 and nearly 9.2 billion in 2050; • Growth will be concentrated in developing countries; CAgM XV - 2010 2 Challenges facing food production WMO OMM • Global food production will therefore need to increase by more than 50% by 2030, and nearly double by 2050; • 450 million smallholder farms in the world and several issues in the recent years are threatening their very livelihoods and those of fishers; CAgM XV - 2010 3 Challenges facing food production WMO OMM • The frequency and intensity of natural disasters including floods, droughts, tropical cyclones, heatwaves and wild fires have been rising in the recent years; • In 2008, Cyclone Nargis and Typhoon Fengshen caused significant damage to lives and property and 2008 was the tenth warmest year, and decade 2000s the warmest decade on record; • There is an urgent need to increase productivity on farms and fisheries; CAgM XV - 2010 4 Challenges facing food production WMO OMM • Climate trends • Changes in drought, 1900 - 2002 CAgM XV - 2010 5 Challenges facing food production WMO OMM • This can only be accomplished through efficient use of natural resources, soil, water, crops and climate; • There is a lack of awareness in the farming and fisheries communities in developing countries, of the available and potential weather and climate services; • There is a lack of capacities and competencies in NMHSs of developing countries, especially the least developed countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Small Island States to deliver timely and relevant services to better meet their needs; CAgM XV - 2010 6 Challenges facing agriculture WMO OMM • Raising awareness of vulnerable populations especially in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Small Island States through education and outreach is essential; • Adaptation to change is now the only viable strategy to avoid social hardship now and in the future; • It is essential that the CAgM programme addresses these challenges. CAgM XV - 2010 7 The Main Thrusts of CAgM WMO OMM • Food Security • Reduction of the Impacts of Natural Disasters in Agriculture (e.g. droughts, heatwaves, floods, etc.) • Sustainable Land Management • Strategies to Cope with Climate Variability/Change Impacts on Agriculture CAgM XV - 2010 Implementation Activities WMO OMM of CAgM – What we have done • OPAG Meetings (ETs and ICTs) • International Workshops • Inter-Regional and Regional Workshops • Training Activities • Roving Seminars & Projects • Support to UN Conventions • Guide to Agricultural Meteorological Practices (GAMP) • WAMIS CAgM XV - 2010 COMMISSIONCOMMISSION FORFOR AGRICULTURALAGRICULTURAL METEOROLOGYMETEOROLOGY President: Dr Jim Salinger, Vice-President: Dr L.S. Rathore WMO OMM Management Group (MG) OPEN PROGRAMME AREA GROUPS (OPAGs) OPAG 1 OPAG 2 OPAG 3 Agrometeorological Support Systems for Climate Services for Agrometeorological Change/Variability and Agricultural Production Services Natural Disasters In Agriculture Chairperson: Prof. S. Walker (RA I) Chairperson: Dr. F. Rossi (RA VI) Chairperson: Dr. R. Motha (RA IV) Co-chairperson: Co-chairperson: Co-chairperson: Prof. A. Kleschenko (RA VI) E. Palacios (RA III) Prof. Panmao Zhai (RA II) CAgM XV - 2010 10 Agrometeorological Services for Agricultural WMO OMM Production (OPAG 1) - Meetings • 1.1 ICT on Agrometeorological Services – Vietnam Dec 2007 - Continue promotion and training of farmers in agrometeorological services - Continue roving seminars and workshops for farmers and extension personnel • 1.2 ET on Content and Use of Agrometeorological Products by Farmers and Extension Services – Australia May 2009 - Regular contact between climate services providers and farmers be enhanced - Specialised call centres and websites developed to answer queries • 1.3 ET on Agrometeorological Aspects of Sustainable Agricultural Development – Canada July 2008 - Use NWP to calculate Fire Danger Rating - Study El Nino imapcts on fisheries for countries CAgM XV - 2010 11 Support Systems for AgMet Services WMO OMM (OPAG 2) - Meetings • 2.1 ICT on Support Services for Agrometeorological Services – India Feb 2009 - Use of remote sensing and for regional monitoring must be extended - Practices to avoid water and wind erosion be promoted by Members • 2.2 ET on Collection and Evaluation of Operational Agrometeorological Tools and Methodologies – Kenya Oct 2008 - Promote capacity building of new tools in developing countries - 2.3 ET on Communication of Agrometeorological Products and Services – Australia May 20009 - Disseminate information via cellphones, grower networks CAgM XV - 2010 12 Climate Change/Variability and Natural WMO OMM Disasters (OPAG 3) - Meetings • 3.1 - ICT on Climate Change/Variability and Natural Disasters in Agriculture – USA Nov 2008 - Better monitoring of extreme events required - Common indices required of agricultural drought • 3.2 ET on Climate Risks in Vulnerable Areas: Agrometeorological Monitoring and Coping Strategies – Norway June 2008 - Develop improved decision support systems and seasonal climate predictions - Improve impact studies so as to develop coping strategies CAgM XV - 2010 13 Climate Change/Variability and Natural WMO OMM Disasters (OPAG 3) - Meetings • 3.3 ET on Drought and Extreme Temperatures: Preparedness and Management for Sustainable Agriculture, Rangelands, Forestry, and Fisheries – China Feb 2009 - More proactive drought drought preparedness and planning - Countries make independent assessments of impacts of future ENSO CAgM XV- 2010 14 International Workshops WMO OMM • International Workshop on Climate and Land Degradation (Tanzania, Dec 2006) - Co-sponsored with UNCCD • International Workshop on Advances in Operational Weather Systems for Fire Danger Rating (Canada, July 2008) • International Workshop on Drought and Extreme Temperatures (China, Feb 2009) – CAgM ET Meeting • International Workshop on the Content, Communication and Use of Weather and Climate Products and Services for Sustainable Agriculture (Australia, May 2009) – Co-sponsored by University of Southern Queensland, BOM, NOAA, & APN. In conjunction with 2 CAgM ET meetings • International Workshop on Adaptation to Climate Change in West African Agriculture (Burkina Faso, April 2009) CAgM XV - 2010 International workshops WMO OMM CAgM XV - 2010 16 Regional Workshops WMO OMM • Symposium On Climate Change And Variability- Agro Meteorological Monitoring and Coping Strategies For Agriculture (Norway, June 2008) – co-sponsored with EU COST ACTION 734 - CAgM ET Meeting • Regional Symposium on Agriculture Mitigation and Adaptation Options for Climate Change in South Asia (Bangladesh, Aug 2008) – co- sponsored by FAO, ESCAP, University of Dhaka, Ohio State University • International Workshop on Adaptation to Climate Change in West African Agriculture (Burkina Faso, April 2009) • Inter-Regional Workshop on Indices and Early Warning Systems for Drought (USA, Dec 2009) – co-sponsored by UNCCD, USDA, NOAA, NDMC EC LXII - 2010 Training Activities WMO OMM • Capacity Building Workshop for Downscaling Climate Prediction Products for Agriculture and Food Security (Nairobi, Kenya, Sept 2006) • Roving Seminars on Weather, Climate and Farmers – Andhra Pradesh, India (Oct-Dec 2007) – Mekelle, Ethiopia (May 2007) – Sri Lanka (Dec 2009) • ANADIA-MALI Project (Assessment of the Impacts of Floods and Droughts on Agriculture) – Drought Monitor Training Workshop (Bamako, Mali - Sept 2009) EC LXII - 2010 METAGRI – Roving Seminars in West Africa WMO OMM • State Meteorological Agency of Spain (AEMET) funded project; WMO provides technical coordination & Met Service of Mali supplied raingauges for seminars • Seminars strive to secure rural farmers’ self reliance in West Africa by raising their awareness of effective weather and climate risk management & sustainable use of natural resources for agricultural production. Also provide crucial feedback from rural agricultural community to the NMHSs • Phase I countries: 8 to 10 roving seminars: Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal (Sep 2008 to Jan 2009). • Phase II countries: 10 roving seminars in Benin, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guineé, Guineé-Bissau, and Togo (Jun to Sep 2009) • Phase III Countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d´Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria (Aug to Dec 2009) EC LXII - 2010 METAGRI – Roving Seminars in West Africa WMO OMM CAgM XV - 2010 20 Support to UNCCD WMO OMM • COP-8 of United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), (Sept 2007, Madrid, Spain) • International Steering Committee Meeting for the Drought Management Centre for South Eastern Europe (March 2008, Bled, Slovenia) • WMO/UNCCD/OSCE Technical Workshop on Regional Drought Management Centre for Central Asia (May 2008, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) • CRIC-7 of the UNCCD and First Special Session of the Committee on Science and Technology (CST S-1) (Nov 2008, Istanbul, Turkey) • COP-9 of the UNCCD / CST 9 / First UNCCD Scientific Conference (Sept- Oct 2009, Buenos Aires, Argentina) CAgM XV - 2010 WMO OMM www.dmcsee.org EC LXII - 2010 CAgM XV - 2010 World Agrometeorological Information WMO OMM Service (WAMIS) www.wamis.org • Currently, there are products and bulletins from 50 countries and organizations. • Nearly 500,000 visits since the inception of the website