Nairobi, Kenya – Tomorrownow.org was thrilled to be on-site at the 8th Annual Learning Event (ALE2024) hosted by Mercy Corps AgriFin in Nairobi, Kenya. This year’s gathering brought together some of the most innovative minds and passionate advocates for leveraging digital innovation to accelerate climate resilience and prosperity for smallholder farmers and last-mile communities.
As the conversations unfolded on Day 2, a crucial theme emerged: contextualization and localization of data, particularly weather data, are pivotal in building actionable decision support tools for smallholder farmers. The urgency of this conversation cannot be overstated, especially when considering the rapidly changing climate and its profound impacts on agriculture.
Addressing Africa’s Weather Data Gap
Several notable speakers highlighted the critical weather data gap in Africa as a major challenge to efficient early warning systems. As Aniruddha Ghosh, Senior Scientist at CIAT, aptly stated,
“It all starts with good forecasting. Weather data saves lives!”
Weather is a determining factor for key farming decisions, such as selecting the right seeds and timing on-farm activities to maximize yields. Without reliable weather data, farmers are left navigating these decisions blindfolded, jeopardizing food security across the continent.
We are inspired by the cutting-edge work being done to bridge this gap. Organizations like Google Research are pushing boundaries with AI-driven solutions that go beyond weather predictions, offering insights into soil health and predictive analytics. These innovations promise to make localized, data-driven decision-making accessible to millions of smallholder farmers.
At tomorrownow.org, we firmly believe in the transformative power of next generation weather solutions. It’s why our work focuses on ensuring farmers have access to actionable weather data. Localized insights not only enable farmers to adapt to the climate crisis but also equip them with the tools to thrive despite it.
ALE2024 was a testament to the incredible potential of partnerships and collaboration in scaling solutions for smallholder farmers. By fostering dialogue and sharing best practices, we are collectively advancing our shared mission to create resilient farming systems for Africa’s most vulnerable communities.
Join Us in Shaping a Resilient Future
We are energized by the conversations and collaborations that were showcased at ALE2024. Together with our partners and the broader agricultural community, we are committed to continue turning these insights into actionable solutions.
If you are passionate about building climate resilience and supporting smallholder farmers, we invite you to join us in this important work.
Contact us to learn more about how you can contribute to shaping a resilient and prosperous future for farming communities worldwide.
#WhyWeatherMatters #ALE2024 #ClimateResilience #Innovation
