In a significant move to bolster the resilience of its agricultural sector against climate change, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is — for the first time — training other government agencies in agrometeorology, the science of applying weather and climate data to agriculture.
This initiative is part of the Adapting Philippine Agriculture to Climate Change (APA) Project, a landmark collaboration led by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology, PAGASA and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, with funding from the Green Climate Fund.
From 19 to 30 May, the Basic Agrometeorology Training brought together over 40 technical staff from various DA units and regional offices. The training focused on translating complex weather data into clear, actionable information for farmers.
“The farmers and fisherfolk are the most vulnerable and the poorest,” said U-Nichols Manalo, DA assistant secretary for Operations and national project director. “We are now forced to move away from the business-as-usual approach in helping these sectors through weather and climate information that they can better understand and apply in daily activities.”
This marks a crucial shift in how the government delivers climate services. Instead of siloed efforts, the APA Project fosters inter-agency collaboration to provide farmer-friendly advisories and decision tools rooted in science.
The overarching goal is to equip producers with better information to make informed choices before, during and after climate shocks such as typhoons and droughts.
Despite the abundance of technical forecasts, many farmers have struggled to access usable information. The APA Project aims to bridge this gap, ensuring data is not just available, but actionable.
“The APA Project shifts our approach from reactive to proactive, building climate resilience through better information, stronger institutions, and empowered communities,” DoST Secretary Renato Solidum said in a video message.