Visit at two of the project sites
On June 5-6, 2013, the project team visited the Lambani and Mokwakwaila communities in the Lambani and Letaba River Basins of north-eastern Limpopo. In order to understand the use of the drought-prediction model and how information could be disseminated to the stakeholders, we met local farmers to learn of their challenges and what is most needed in terms of early warning systems.
- More detailed information from the discussions can be found here: Notes from the meetings.
At the workshop, the farmers were mainly crop farmers growing maize, beans, peanuts, pumpkins and had some livestock.The stakeholders mainly requested information about the rainy season (when to plant). They receive this type of information from local weather forecasts, mainly from the radio and tv. They also use information from natural signs such as the behaviour of plants, animals and stars e.g. birds, insects and locusts. If one knows it should be good rainfall year, one would plant more maize. One can also plant different crops e.g. millet or crop varieties. If they know when there will be more water in the rivers, they can plan when to do laundry. Livestock holders can harvest and store grass for fodder. If a dry year is forecasted livestock feed can be bought earlier and people might reduce their livestock numbers. Livestock can also be gathered and drinking facilities built.
During the visit to Mokwakwaila two wireless sensors and a rain gauge were installed in the community to measure rainfall and soil moisture. This data will be collected and combined with information on natural signs and seasonal forecasts in order to create more locally relevant information about rainfall, soil moisture and river flow.
- Read this post for more information.
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