Photo by Zack Guido
Lead CCASS Contact: Zack Guido
The focus of this initiative is addressing and improving the social science component of climate services, particularly what various users in the Caribbean might want or need. This project began by studying the impact of the information services provided by the Jamaican Meteorological Service and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority from June 2014 to June 2015, when it experienced one of the worst droughts on record. Data was collected from 453 farmers in 10 parishes.
This project used network analysis, key informant interviews, and small group discussions to investigate: 1) the barriers to using seasonal climate forecasts by participants in the Caribbean Regional Climate Outlook Forums convened in 2014 by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology; and 2) the iterative processes of information exchange that address these barriers.