EXPLORING THE MODES OF COMUNICATING CLIMATE INFORMATION USED BY DEDZA AGROMETEOROLOGICAL STATION IN CHAFUMBWA EPA

Malawi, a developing country in the tropics largely depends on rain fed agriculture for its economy as well as food security. Agriculture being vulnerable to variable weather and climatic shocks and hazards requires a vibrant and effective agrometeorological sector to act in response to as well as act in anticipating challenges the country may get into due to climate change in as far as agricultural production is concerned. Agrometeorology as a science, may be useful in minimizing agricultural losses during both the production process and storage as well as improve production through issuing of weather forecasts, early warning information as well as decision support information. Although the Agrometeorology sector exists under the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), the country still battles agricultural losses brought about by weather and climate variability hazards such as floods and dry spells. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to explore the modes employed by Dedza agrometeorological station when communicating climate information to farmers in Chafumbwa Extension Planning Area (E.P.A). The study focused on collecting data on communication channel between DCCMS to farmers through the agrometeorological station and Agricultural Extension Development Office, the user friendliness of the information and the information conveyance timing. The collected data had to be analyzed qualitatively using content analysis. The results showed that the agrometeorological station predominantly uses verbal category of communication in transmitting weather updates, early warning as well as decision support information to farmers. The channels trusted and mostly used by the farmers were found to be the A.E.D.O as well as the community radio station (Bembeke FM). The study was useful in offering guidance in areas where improvements ought to be made to ensure that the district agrometeorological station is fully functional in its quest of delivering agrometeorological information to farmers within the EPA. The study recommended that other studies be conducted due to the fact that the results may have been skewed based on the sampling method used which would have identified homogeneous clustered respondents.