Australia’s national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), and the Bureau of Meteorology have updated their digital climate tool for farmers to include local climate projections for 22 agricultural commodities.
Overall, My Climate View has four major updates: a ‘future climate overview’ that provides users with a snapshot of projected changes across key climate factors for their location and commodity by the 2050s; climate information for two more commodities – tomato and pork; a feature that enables users to download reports and share key climate information with relevant peers, advisers or support networks; and features to improve the experience on a mobile device. These updates are intended to better empower farmers to sustain and strengthen the viability of their businesses in the face of a changing climate.
My Climate View was developed by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO as part of the Climate Services for Agriculture (CSA) program and funded by the Australian government’s Future Drought Fund. The product presents past and future climate information, all in one place. Climate information is available for the past 60 years, seasonal outlooks, and for projections for the 2030s, 2050s and 2070s.
Elizabeth Johnston, agriculture section manager at the Bureau of Meteorology, said, “The new overview feature on My Climate View gives users the power to see – side by side – how projected temperature and rainfall for key times of the production year might change over time. So even if rainfall may not be projected to significantly change in your location – projected higher temperatures and potential increases in heat stress is something livestock producers should consider.”
Dr Graham Bonnett, lead of CSIRO’s drought resilience mission, commented, “As we experience a changing and variable climate, My Climate View provides valuable insights for longer-term planning, allowing farmers to prepare and adapt.”
Read more key agriculture updates from the meteorological technology industry, here.