MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
Climate information farmers would want to know
It is important to note that definitions for events given below can be
changed to suit different areas and conditions
Seasonal Totals
Please stress that total rainfall on its own might not mean much as
agriculture production also depends on the distribution throughout the
season. However it gives an indication on whether a crop can be grown in an
area or not e.g. it is not advisable to grow maize which requires an average
of 500mm of rainfall per season in an area with an average of 400mm per
season.
Total rainfall from 1 October to 30 April
May be discussed with farmers giving them options of possible crops to
grow
Difficult to use on its own because it does not give distribution indications.
Show given slides for seasonal totals for various sites
Start of the Season
Discuss with the farmers that the definition for the “start of the season” was
developed taking into account 3 factors below which previous research had
shown
• Research has shown that the season is considered to have started if an
area receives “effective planting rains.”
• And rainfall is considered to be effective planting rains if the following
conditions are satisfied:-
There is sufficient rain during the rainy spell to wet about 5cm of soil
to field capacity.
Evapotranspiration does not reduce available moisture to zero in
the following 10 days of effective planting rains.
At most 11 days of zero available moisture “preceding the normal”
planting dates
A Training Manual on Use of Climate Information and Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for
Agricultural Extension Staff in Zimbabwe
Page 46