Nimesha
Dissanayaka and Manoj Thibbotuwawa
Most people use weather
forecasts to plan their daily activities. However, for those whose livelihoods
depend on variations in weather, this information becomes a lifeline. Farmers,
as a community, are highly sensitive to weather forecasts, as their agronomic
decisions revolve around daily temperatures, rainfall patterns, and wind
speeds. Farmers used to be able to observe cloud patterns, behaviour of birds
and animals, wind direction, and other natural occurrences to make accurate
predictions about the weather. Before technology took over, farmers’ wealth of experience
in agronomy helped them make spot-on weather forecasts.