WeatherWise: Smart Pupils Driving Climate-Smart Agriculture in Migori County

In Migori County, schoolchildren are stepping up as climate messengers, helping their families and communities make smarter farming decisions through WeatherWise: Smart Pupils for Smart Agriculture, a flagship initiative of Special Interest Groups Place (SIGs Place).

Launched at Nyanchabo and Getonganya Primary Schools in Masaba Ward, the project equips rural farmers with timely, reliable weather information to adapt effectively to climate change.

Through smart weather stations, the schools are transformed into Weather and Climate Information Services (WCIS) centres, providing real-time, hyperlocal weather data including wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall, atmospheric pressure and 24-hour forecasts. This information helps farmers optimize planting, reduce crop losses, and make informed agricultural decisions, while also helping schools plan their daily activities more effectively.

WeatherWise: Smart Pupils Driving Climate-Smart Agriculture in Migori County

The initiative’s key innovation is training environmental club pupils to read, interpret, and communicate weather data. These pupils act as vital messengers, sharing insights with households and the wider community. To enhance learning, a weather educational wheel has been installed at strategic points in each school, giving children easy access to weather tools. Pupils are also trained in effective communication to share weather data clearly and accurately.

“Now I can tell my parents the best time to plant our crops based on the weather,” says one WeatherWise pupil at Nyanchabo Primary, highlighting the real impact on families and communities.

By promoting the use of weather data at the household and community level, WeatherWise strengthens resilience to climate change and empowers the next generation to lead sustainable farming practices.

Pupils at Nyanchabo Primary Schools in Masaba Ward

This initiative is supported by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) through the Climate Justice Impact Fund for Africa (CJIFA) and the HBCU Green Fund, marking a significant step toward climate-smart learning, agricultural innovation, and resilient communities.