Agrometeorological Learning Increasing Farmers'Knowledge in Coping with Climate Change and Unusual Risks

概要

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Enriching farmers' knowledge of the risks and consequences of climate change isthe most promising strategy to better assist them. Nevertheless, we have to bearin mind that people filter and absorb scientific knowledge through pre-existingcultural models and aspirations for desired outcomes. The severe pest/diseaseoutbreaks during the La-Niña periods of 2009 and 2010/2011, and the unpreparednessof farmers in many places in Java, was a timely opportunity for many partiesto reflect seriously on the deficiencies in our approaches and facilitations.Our inter-disciplinary collaboration proved successful in strengthening andenriching farmers' knowledge by bringing agrometeorological thinking and knowledge,based on scientific ideas, premises, and methods, to local people who had theirown "ethnoscience." This benefits farmers over an extended period and until thepublic extension intermediaries have been sufficiently trained. Our suggestionsare: assisting farmers to discover their own vulnerability issues through continuousdialogues and knowledge exchange in "Science/Climate Field Shops," and the measurementof rainfall and the observation of weather and climate implications forfields and crops in a standardized way as the basis of an improved Climate FieldSchool. To that end the training of public extension intermediaries is necessary.
2013-08-22