Training Material

Did you check the weather forecast for today? Did you do it on your phone?

Abstract

In Viet Nam, over 95% of farmers in Dien Bien and Ha Tinh provinces watch weather forecasts on TV. However, these forecasts are often only for a few days ahead and the information is not specific enough to be useful for making decisions about farm management. Responding to the gap in practical agricultural weather information, and seeing the growing demand, a number of digital-services providers have created tailor-made, agro-climatic information products for farmers. The most common use short-message services and smartphone apps to share short-, medium- and longer-term weather forecasts combined with agricultural management advice and market prices. One example of this kind of app is Crop Manager, produced by the International Rice Research Institute, which provides small-scale rice, wheat and maize farmers with crop and nutrient management advice customized to farming conditions and needs