In Asia, climate variations affect food security and well being of communities and make planning for the monsoon season a vital process. Monsoon Forums help climate scientists better understand decision-makers’ information requirements, and assists potential users of climate forecasts better understand and use information for early warning of potential climate related risks and in enhancing preparedness planning. The Forums bring together technical institutions involved in generating climate and early warning information, and the potential users of such information including government agencies, international organizations, NGOs, donors and others.
Since their inception in 2009, Monsoon Forums have played an instrumental role in informing and building capacities of the users to utilize services from NMHSs. Cost-benefit analysis shows that investment made in climate services ensures greater return and enables conditions for sustainable and climate-resilient development by mitigating preventable damages to physical as well as socio-economic infrastructures.
RIMES assists countries in establishing Monsoon Forums, a national platform for forecast provider-user dialogue, which aims to:
- ensure that forecasts, including their uncertainties and limitations, are communicated to and understood by users
- encourage forecast application for mitigating risks in various climate-sensitive sectors, including, but not limited to agriculture, water resources, disaster management, and health
- receive user feedback for improving usability of forecast products
- provide a platform for inter-agency coordination of policies, sectoral plans, and programs for dealing with potential impacts of hydro- meteorological hazards
- promote shared understanding of posed risks and opportunities brought about by past, current, and future climate scenarios.
RIMES is committed to strengthening the monsoon forum through institutional development, capacity building and collaboration in effective service delivery.