Hepex workshop, Norrköping, 2015

Today, Lotta Andersson, presented some of the conclusions from the DEWD project during the HEPEX 2015 Workshop in Norrköping, Sweden. The workshop is held at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). There are approximately 55 attendees from 16 countries. See more at

• Workshop home page

Also Micha Werner presents some of the results from the DEWFORA project. The conclusions from their project were similar to ours.

HEPEX workshop at SMHI, Norrköping

Tomorrow, Prof. Lotta Andersson, the manager of the DEWD, will present an overview of the project in Norrköping, Sweden.
Stay tuned for comments from the workshop and some pictures.
Read more at

• HEPEX seasonal hydrological forecasting workshop

Letaba municipality extension workshop - 9th June 2015 at Tzaneen County Lodge

A local municipality extension workshop with participation of 31 extension officers from the Letaba municipality, as well as participants from the DEWD team from LDA and Linköping University/SMHI was held at Tzaneen country lodge 9th of June 2015.   Results from the DEWD project were presented, and discussions were held. Among other things, the discussions revealed that only a few extension officers received seasonal forecasts. There was an agreement on that short summaries with interpreted information is most useful. More workshops on interpretation of data and maps were required.  Continuous engagement capacity building including god examples from champion farmers with demonstrations and trials was recommended in order to make farmers take action based on forecasts. Although younger take advice quicker and have better literacy level they were seen to be difficult to engage and few continue with farming.   The need to speed up systems and reduce bureaucracy problem was identified.  Plans are there, but take long to implement.  More bottom-up dialogues were requested.  Before decide on policy must approach people on the ground level.  

Extension services workshop: Khoroni Hotel, Thohoyandou, 8th June 2015

A workshop with participation of 45 extension service officers, as well as participants from the DEWD team from LDA and Linköping University/SMHII was held at Khoroni Hotel, Thohoyando 8th of June 2015.     Evaluation of the results from the seasonal forecasts of local rainfall soil moisture and river flow, signs in nature and the sensors - was the information provided accurate and useful and well communicated in a way that could increase community resilience and experiences from work in the Lambani community were presented.  The participants were then divided in three groups to discuss the access to and experiences of how to assist farmers with advice to cope with the foreseen (from forecasts) climatic conditions. It was concluded from the discussions that seasonal forecasts very seldom reached the extension service officers. Other identified challenges included the fact that assistance to farmers was reactive rather than proactive. This was seen as creating a dependency syndrome where many wait for the grant instead of doing on their own activities. It was also mentioned that the possibilities to communicate and bring information to the district level was limited to occasions when it was required from the provincial level through a long chain of levels.  More training and improved communication channels between local to provincial levels were requested. 

Visits to Morwatshela High School and Ranndogwana Secondary School

Some of the sensors were situated at schools. In June 2015 we visited Morwatshela High School in Mokwakwaila and Ranndogwana Secondary School in Lambani.

Lectures were held with the aim to inform about how the sensors worked and how information was used.  Also some general information about Sweden and the DEWD project was given.

The students paid interest in our presentations and also did perform hands-on exercises were we measured the soil and discussed the conclusions from that. The students helped us read out data from the sensors and we could look at the graphs to see how the seasons were.