Turning weather information into farming decisions

Agricultural producers across South Africa regularly make management decisions influenced by changing weather conditions, whether preparing livestock for heat stress, planning irrigation after rainfall, or managing fire risk during dry periods.

- Dr Sarah Roffe, ARC-Natural Resources and Engineering

Access to clear and practical weather information can make these decisions easier, yet such information is not always available in a form that is easy to interpret at the farm level.

To help address this need, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has developed the Weather Risk app (available at www.weatherrisk.arc.agric.za), a free web-based tool that brings together key weather and water availability information for South Africa in a single interactive interface.

Introducing the Weather Risk app

The app was developed by the ARC, with scientific input from the Agrometeorology Division alongside systems developers and researchers from the Water Science Division. The app is freely available online and can currently be accessed via a desktop computer. It provides national coverage while allowing users to explore conditions at local farm level scales within the interface (Figure 1).

It combines observed weather and water-related data with short-term forecasts, enabling users to assess current conditions as well as potential upcoming risks. Designed with practical decision-making in mind, the app supports farmers, extension officers, agricultural advisors, and others who require accessible and reliable information for planning and risk management. Although designed with simplicity in mind, guidance on navigating and using the app is available through an online user guide that can be downloaded at www.github.com/climindex/hydroclimsa/blob/main/App_user_guide/Weather_Risk_app_user_guide.md#weather-risk-app-user-guide.

From information into insights