Traditional weather forecasting helps combat climate change
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Hybrid forecasting through Seasonal Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) is helping farmers in Mwenezi and Chiredzi to combat climate change by preparing for the farming season based on seasonal forecast probabilities, including climate related hazards, risks, opportunities and to safeguard their livelihoods.
The PSP platforms, supported by the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF): Enhancing Community Resilience and Sustainability (ECRAS) project, are creating space for meteorologists, community members, local government departments and NGOs to share scientific and traditional indigenous knowledge to produce a hybrid localised seasonal outlook to inform the farming season.
The seasonal forecasts are also providing climate related information which is important in influencing adaptation of decisions, approaches and technologies by farmers at various timeframes.
Mwenezi crop and livestock district officer Veronica Muchechetere said: "Through the PSP in Mwenezi, we have a downscaled hybrid forecast co-generated through combining observed indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) indicators and their results with the scientific forecasts from Meteorological Services Department (MSD).
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