A recent baseline survey, conducted as part of the USAID-funded Rwanda Climate Services for Agriculture project, has revealed significant challenges in the dissemination and utilization of climate information among the country’s farming communities. The survey, which interviewed over 3,000 respondents across all four provinces and Kigali, paints a picture of limited access, variable understanding, and a significant gender gap in climate information awareness.
The survey found that while farmers are generally aware of seasonal and indigenous climate forecasts, women demonstrate significantly less awareness than men. The content of disseminated information is often limited to traditional data points such as rainfall onset, extreme event risks, and daily precipitation, lacking the nuanced, localized detail needed for effective decision-making.
Access to specific climate products is alarmingly low, particularly in Kigali and the Northern Provinces. While radio remains the dominant communication channel, reaching at least 74% of respondents, mobile phone technology – despite its widespread ownership – remains largely untapped for climate information dissemination. This represents a significant missed opportunity, given the potential for interactive radio programs and cell phone-based climate data to reach a broad audience.
The ability to utilize climate information varies considerably across provinces, with the Western Province showing the highest level of understanding, while the Northern Province lags behind. Beyond poverty, which correlates with limited access, a lack of trust in the information provided and a dearth of locally relevant data are cited as major obstacles.
Crucially, the survey reveals that current climate information has minimal influence on farmers’ decision-making. This highlights the urgent need for tailored information that addresses the specific needs of the agricultural community. The project aims to rectify this, hoping that improved, relevant climate data will lead to behavioral changes and enhanced resilience.
The survey also indicates a low overall resilience benchmark among farmers, driven by factors such as diverse livelihood systems and varying social and institutional capacities across provinces. This underscores the complexity of the challenges facing Rwanda’s agricultural sector in the face of climate change.
The Rwanda Climate Services for Agriculture project aims to bridge these gaps, ensuring that farmers have access to reliable, relevant, and actionable climate information. The project evaluation will track changes in these benchmark indicators, comparing the impact on beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, while a qualitative component will delve deeper into farmers’ decision-making processes and the socio-differentiated effects of climate change.
