New Uses for Global Forecasts

Abstract

In accordance with the goals of the innovation grant, World Bank staff undertook a study tour to Turkey to observe Turkey's innovative system to deliver farmer-focused weather alerts by cell phone. The regional priority on climate change adaptation highlights an adaptation mechanism that has emerged with broad support: upgrade and dissemination of spatially-resolved, accurate weather forecasts and robust mechanisms to place this information in the hands of farmers on a timely basis. The objective of this innovation grant-funded activity was to bring Europe and Central Asia (ECA) staff up to date on the emerging good practice in Turkey, providing an opportunity for staff working on the Central Asia portfolio to discuss with Turkish experts and colleagues how the model could be applied in Central Asia. A second phase of the activity will address the issue that, while Turkey generates its own high-resolution weather forecasts, the bank's Central Asian clients do not. The activity therefore set out to identify practical options and methods to adapt the Turkish good practice by using publicly available forecasts from international sources. The applicability of such global forecasts to the purpose of providing weather alerts to farmers in Central Asia will be reviewed and tested in the field.