Bangladesh has launched a new weather forecasting system for farmers titled ‘Sub-Seasonal to Seasonal Forecasting for Agriculture in Bangladesh’, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Extension and Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The system was unveiled at the Bangabandhu Military Museum’s Multipurpose Hall at Bijay Sarani in the capital on Monday in the presence of Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akhtar.
The system offers weather forecasts for the next four weeks to three months, providing farmers with enough lead time and opportunity to protect their crops from any adverse weather conditions. It was developed by the ‘Weather Impact and Wageningen University’ in partnership with ‘Digital Innovation for Impact’ (Dii) and ‘Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute’ (KNMI).
Speakers at the event highlighted the importance of this system for the entire agriculture sector, suggesting it will be a breakthrough. In her speech, Wahida Akhtar expressed appreciation for the active collaboration of the Department of Agriculture Extension, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and the international research institutes who have worked hard to make the system a success.
Bob Amerlan, researcher and project coordinator at Weather Impact BV in the Netherlands, explained the technical and practical aspects of the system, and how weather forecasts could be delivered to farmers. Meanwhile, project director Md. Shah Kamal Khan welcomed the guests, emphasizing that sub-seasonal and seasonal weather information is essential for farm management planning.
Digital Innovation for Impact (Dii) is a part of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Bangladesh. It focuses on digital innovation and the development of services that help people and communities thrive. Dii works in collaboration with numerous institutes and organizations to empower Bangladesh and its citizens with innovative technology and support.
Bob Amerlan is an experienced researcher and project coordinator from the Netherlands, who works with the ‘Weather Impact and Wageningen University’. He has been responsible for much of the development of the ‘Sub-Seasonal to Seasonal Forecasting for Agriculture in Bangladesh’ system, and boasts a wealth of technical and practical knowledge about weather forecasting.
