E-Agriculture: How ICT can help improve food security
Computer Aid has provided computers to the Ugandan, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Kenyan Meteorological Offices.
Integrated ICT throughout the weather stations in these countries is helping to improve their information processing speeds and to equip staff at remote weather stations with the skills and tools necessary to enable them to provide fast, highly-targeted forecasts and advice to farmers. Weather forecasts can then also be delivered on time and relevant to local needs.
With accurate weather forecasting, farmers can time the planting of their crops and choose types of seed that bring them better yields. In many cases this means the difference between failing to produce enough food to feed a family and producing a surplus which can be sold to pay to send children to school. At a national level, it is recognised that more accurate and timely forecasting is necessary to make disease prevention and disaster response programmes more timely and effective.
Meteorological training on a Computer Aid donated PC at the East African Meteorological Training Centre.