The Strengthening the Digital System to Support Establishment of the Weather Advisory System for Dry Zone Farmers is a critical component of the broader Climate Resilient Integrated Water Management Project (CRIWMP), which is being implemented by the Government of Sri Lanka with support from the UNDP and funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This initiative aims to enhance the resilience of vulnerable smallholder farmers, particularly in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone, against the increasing risks posed by climate change, including rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and extreme weather events.

Project Objectives

The primary goal of this project is to develop and strengthen the digital infrastructure needed to support the establishment of a comprehensive weather advisory system. This system is intended to provide accurate and timely weather forecasts, agrometeorological advisories, and disaster early warnings to farmers and communities in the Dry Zone. The focus is on enhancing the capacity of existing digital systems and integrating them into a unified platform that can deliver relevant information efficiently to those who need it most.

Key objectives include:

1. Enhancing Early Warning Systems (EWS):
   • The project aims to strengthen early warning systems for natural disasters, particularly floods and droughts, which are common in the Dry Zone. This involves improving the generation, dissemination, and application of early warning information to mitigate the impacts of these events.
2. Improving Agrometeorological Advisories:
   • By providing precise weather forecasts and agricultural advisories, the project seeks to improve the decision-making process for farmers, allowing them to plan and manage their agricultural activities more effectively in response to weather conditions.
3. Capacity Building and Institutional Strengthening:
• The project includes a comprehensive assessment of the current digital systems used by various national, provincial, and district agencies involved in weather forecasting, agricultural advisory services, and disaster management. It aims to enhance the capacity of these systems and the institutions that manage them, ensuring that they can generate, co-develop, and apply weather-related advisories more effectively.

Key Activities

• Digital System Assessment:
  • The project involves a thorough assessment of existing digital systems within relevant agencies, including the Department of Meteorology, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Development (DAD), Disaster Management Centre (DMC), and the Irrigation Department. The assessment focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement in generating and disseminating weather-related information.
• Software Development and SOP Creation:
  • Developing customized software applications and creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) is a core part of the project. These tools are designed to standardize the process of generating, disseminating, and responding to weather forecasts, agrometeorological advisories, and disaster early warnings.
• Mapping and Evaluation of Information Products:
  • The project includes mapping and evaluating existing digital information products related to weather forecasting and disaster early warnings. This involves analyzing the flow of information, the methods of dissemination, and the effectiveness of these systems in reaching and serving the intended beneficiaries.
• Collaboration and Integration:
• The project promotes collaboration between various institutions to ensure a cohesive approach to weather advisory services. This includes integrating the efforts of national and local agencies to create a unified system that can provide comprehensive and actionable information to farmers and other stakeholders.

Impact and Benefits

• Increased Resilience:
  • The improved digital systems and enhanced weather advisory services will significantly increase the resilience of smallholder farmers in the Dry Zone, helping them to better cope with the impacts of climate change.
• Enhanced Agricultural Productivity:
  • By providing timely and accurate weather information, the project will enable farmers to optimize their agricultural practices, thereby increasing productivity and reducing losses due to adverse weather conditions.
• Improved Disaster Preparedness:
  • Strengthened early warning systems will help communities in the Dry Zone prepare for and respond to natural disasters more effectively, reducing the risk of loss of life and property.

This project is a crucial step towards building a more climate-resilient agricultural sector in Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone, ensuring that farmers have the information and tools they need to adapt to changing environmental conditions and secure their livelihoods.