**5. Conclusions**

Farmers in Kenya and some countries in eastern and southern Africa who depend on rain-fed cultivation have developed complex cultural models of weather prediction and are able to cite local indicators of seasonal weather. From this study majority of farmers prefer indigenous forecasting knowledge because they have a belief that indigenous information is more practical as it has been tested, tried and trusted over time.

The dependency on traditional indicators alone without much uptake of available weather forecasts can and has predisposed farmers to crop losses as they try to navigate the risks of changing climate. Although farmers do trust climate and weather information, its uptake will require more sensitization and demonstration if farmers are to navigate risks associated to the changing climate in the farming enterprise.

There is need to integrate both traditional knowledge systems and weather forecast information for synergy and reliable weather prediction. This will act as a motivator to farmers to embrace the use of climate and weather information because their traditional knowledge system perspectives have been incorporated hence creating ownership and sustainability.

The changes on the environment associated to environmental degradation; ecosystem disturbance and changing climate has seen some important traditional predictor indicators disappear or lost completely from the environment. Integrating both scientific and traditional knowledge system will supplement the loss on traditional indicators of rainfall prediction that used to support farmer decisions hence mitigating against losses that are bound to occur. It is important to note that some of the principles of the traditional predictors like wind flow, temperature changes converge with the scientific forecasts.

A national policy guideline on a closer working relationship should be established between the farmers, agricultural extension officers and meteorological scientists including traditional weather predictors. A strong link, including feedback loops between scientists, advisory agents and farmers will help in communicating downscaled climate information and facilitating access by local farmer communities. Format, delivery mode and timing of the information is key. All key stakeholders in agriculture, livelihoods and climate change sectors during their participatory weather scenario planning action should be aware of farmers needs whether they are real or perceived because farmers do know what information they need at particular point in time at their local farm level.

#### **5.1 Recommendation**

This study suggests that there is need to integrate both traditional knowledge systems and weather forecasts at local farmer levels for synergy forecasting that will generate reliable climate information useful to farmers. Incorporating farmers perspectives by slightly modifying and using them to meet current needs and situations will help address the needs of farmers and may be a motivator in embracing the use of climate and weather information as their traditional knowledge system perspectives have been incorporated. Climate information services must be

*Integrating Local Farmers Knowledge Systems in Rainfall Prediction and Available Weather… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96504*

embedded in local, national and regional processes to enable scaled-up support for widespread adaptation activities.
