Story by Memory Chamisa
HARARE – AGRICULTURE remains the foundation of livelihoods for rural and urban households with the need for better access to weather information and other climate agricultural services cited as critical for enhanced productivity.
This was underscored at the Safeguarding African Foodsheds and Ecosystems (SAFE4ALL) project meeting with farmers held in Harare this Wednesday.
The initiative aims to empower farmers through a weather information application that has been designed to predict long-term weather patterns, provide climate solutions, and develop business models tailored to smallholder farmers.
Pilot project farmers from Marondera highlighted the importance of the development in ensuring they are equipped with information for sustainable agriculture.
“This will help revolutionise farming practices, as farmers we have faced severe climate-related challenges. Sometimes we planted when we were not supposed to, but with this app, we will be able to get accurate information on weather patterns and rainfall patterns,” farmer, Mrs Regina Chitupa Zvichauya said.
“The SAFE4All project will equip us farmers and communities with better tools to adapt to climate change. The app, which will integrate audio and visual features in local dialects will provide us with accurate weather forecasts for climate-smart decision making,” another farmer, Mr Musekiwa Chakanongwa added.
Some of the key stakeholders noted the need for farmers to blend indigenous and scientific knowledge for better rainfall forecasts, which increases yields and improves income.
“Farmers need more than just knowing when it will rain, they need details on how much rain to expect and how to manage their farms accordingly,” Marondera District Agritex Officer, Ms Caroline Musungo highlighted.
Deputy Director of the Meteorological Services Department, Ms Tamburiro Pasingodya, underscored the inclusive and science-driven approach of the initiative.
“SAFE4ALL project supports climate-smart agriculture by providing operational farming advice based on medium-range, sub-seasonal, and seasonal forecasts, a blended approach to forecasting offers farmers accurate outlooks for making climate-smart decisions. The app will also integrate visual, text, and audio capabilities in local dialects for accessibility.”
Dr Prince Kuipa, Director of Operations at the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union, noted that many existing services have been disjointed and often lacked a user-centred approach.
“The threat of increasing climate risks to agriculture is imminent, existing services were fragmented and lacked a user-centred approach. SAFE4ALL is addressing this by developing a collaborative platform to co-create user-driven climate services, integrating tools and solutions into socio-economic policies. By equipping communities with better tools to adapt to climate change, SAFE4ALL not only strengthens agricultural resilience, but also helps manage migration to cities, ensuring a more sustainable future for vulnerable populations.”
Project coordinator Assistant Professor of Climate Information Services at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands, Spyros Paparrizos, said the project, through the innovative app is designed to provide critical weather information, that is set to improve farming, especially in rural communities.
“SAFE4ALL will coordinate efforts from governments, civil society, academia, and international organisations to mobilise the capacity of end-users, build food security and resilience, promote sustainable agriculture, and provide social safety nets to affected localities. Communities are better equipped to adapt and cope with the impacts of climate change while enhancing food security in a rapidly changing world,” Paparrizos said
“The innovative app, designed to provide critical weather information, aims to enhance food security, mitigate migration, and improve the livelihoods of farmers. The app, which integrates local knowledge with scientific data will provide farmers with actionable insights on weather patterns, enabling them to make informed decisions about planting, fertiliser application, and crop management.”
The SAFE4All project is expected to transform the lives of farmers not only in Zimbabwe but Ghana and Kenya as well, where it is being implemented to enhance climate resilience and food security across Africa.
Providing weather informaion to farmers, remains crucial, as the country continues to experience droughts and erratic rainfall patterns which have had devastating impacts on farming communities.
Funded by the European Union, it bridges the gap by delivering affordable, scalable, and location-specific climate services in Zimbabwe.
Through co-creation case studies, it engages farmers, municipalities, and cities to develop solutions that strengthen climate resilience, promote sustainable agriculture, and enhance food security.
