Eastern Cuba farmers use Weather App to increase yields

GUANTANAMO, Cuba, August 29 (ACN) The mobile application Agroclima helps facilitate access to updated climate information for producers in the municipality of Niceto Pérez, Guantánamo, as part of the Actúa Diferente (Act Different) project, promoted by the World Food Programme (WFP).

In a period of recurrent drought in the region, due to geographical conditions that lead to scarce rainfall and limit continuous food production, the program emerged with the goal of preventing losses from climate adversities, explained Loexis Rodríguez Mongoya, deputy technical director of the Provincial Meteorological Center of Guantánamo, to the ACN.

The agricultural production sector in Niceto Pérez accesses a geolocated guide via mobile data that provides daily and long-term meteorological information, even during transitional stages, thus allowing for better harvest planning.

Agroclima recommends crops adapted to the soil and climate characteristics of each zone, which range from the Cuban semi-desert in the south to mountainous and humid areas in the north, based on the registered location, he commented.

The study conducted by the entity and disseminated by its technical team includes lunar phases, guidance on how to utilize them, and information on the drought for the proper care of crops.

So far, the tool is used by around 20 Guantánamo farmers due to limited server capacity; however, there are plans to certify it and adapt it to other contexts with the support of the National Institute of Meteorology and Actúa Diferente, which promoted the initiative in the country's easternmost territory.

Rodríguez Mongoya added that monitoring of the platform showed that the most frequently consulted options are the daily forecast, followed by the drought situation and advice on its impact.

The Actúa Diferente project, developed by the WFP and sponsored by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica), seeks to strengthen local capabilities in eastern Cuba to achieve food sovereignty, impact the nutrition of vulnerable groups, improve socioeconomic life, and increase resilience to adverse events