In Uganda, roughly 70 percent of households are dependent on rain-fed agriculture. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization determined that the drop in the growth of the Ugandan economy from 6.6 percent in 2004–05 to 5.3 percent in 2005–06 was largely due to the variability of the weather, specifically its impact on agriculture. It is therefore critical for farming communities to know about weather and seasonal changes so they can plan effectively to avoid losing crops and livelihoods.  

Until recently, receiving timely and understandable weather information was inconceivable to most Ugandan men and women farmers because of inefficient coordination and a lack of resources within national government authorities. After carrying out field research revealing these gaps, the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA) teamed up with the Uganda National Meteorology Authority (UNMA) in 2012 to introduce the first seasonal weather forecast translated into local languages with sector-specific advisories.

This booklet documents the experiences and lessons learned during the two years of implementing this innovative process which enabled rural communities to access, understand and use weather forecasts for planning and decision making.