Finally, preparedness plans are mentioned. This includes the development of monitoring systems and response mechanisms to current weather, both at farm and government level. Vs expected output. The major challenge facing all crop-weather modelling is the incorporation of qualitative changes deriving from complex interactions. For instance, the above-mentioned shortage of land in several countries will entail severe qualitative changes.
Farmers market a small part of their food crops.
During good years, prices tend to drop, in which case the government still buys cotton or sisal, thereby ensuring some cash income. A simple example of this could be, for instance, a threshold of air moisture or sunshine duration to decide on pest risk, or a threshold of salt content of water to decide on irrigation-salinity risk. More complex applications require the use of models, which can usually not be run at the village level but require regular communication with a central office References Skole, D.L., 1997. Land use and cover change. Open Science meeting proceedings, 29-31 January 1996, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam.