Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM)

The Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM) provides scientific and technological guidance to WMO Members in the sectors of agricultural, forestry, livestock and fisheries, not only for food production but also for agricultural meteorological risk governance in terms of agro-ecosystem resilience and sustainability, especially with higher priorities on climate services and capacity development. 

Management Group: 

Resolution 2 of the 15th Session of CAgM revised the terms of reference of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorolog, which were approved by 16th Session of the World Meteorological Congress in Annex 2 of Resolution 43:

(a) Support applications of meteorology to the management of agriculture, livestock, forestry, rangelands and fisheries sectors (herein after referred to as agricultural subsectors), taking into account developments in both the scientific and operational fields

(b) Assist the Member countries in developing and establishing their agrometeorological services (and, where necessary, encourage and assist National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in realigning/restructuring their services to provide effective agrometeorological services) through transfer of knowledge, methodologies and techniques, and by providing advice, particularly on:

(i) The most operational use of knowledge concerning weather and climate for sustainable agricultural management through conservation and better use of natural resources

(ii) The use of weather and agrometeorological observations, forecasts and warnings for operational purposes

(iii) The use of climate observations and predictions

(iv) Adaptation to climate variability and change, in particular in developing countries

(v) Combating unfavourable influences of weather and climate on agricultural subsectors, including weather-related pests and diseases

(vi) The protection of agricultural produce in storage or in transit against damage or deterioration due to direct and indirect influences of weather and climate

(vii) Effective means of communication and fostering coordination and collaboration activities between weather and climate service providers and users in subsectors

(c) Improve coordination and collaboration mechanisms through which users of weather and climate information in agricultural subsectors can liaise actively with weather and climate service providers and vice versa

(d) Formulate data and information requirements for agricultural purposes

(e) Foster the development and use of effective communication methods and channels for acquiring and disseminating agrometeorological information, advice and warnings to agricultural subsectors and obtaining feedback

(f) Promote a better understanding of the interactions and impacts of weather and climate in regards to drought and desertification

European meteorological services first discussed meteorology and agriculture on an international scale in 1735. The first reference to co-operation between meteorology and agriculture was in correspondence between the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) and certain national institutes of agriculture and forestry, seeking an exchange of meteorological information and data.

The IMO Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM) was appointed in 1913, but the First World War delayed its first meeting. Re-constituted in 1919, that first meeting finally took place in Utrecht, The Netherlands, in 1923. Its seventh, and last meeting, was held in Toronto, Canada, in 1947. The policies and programmes of this last meeting became the foundation of the new WMO Commission for Agricultural Meteorology.

For a history of the Commission, read Commission for Agricultural Meteorology (CAgM): The First Fifty Years

Sessions of the CAgM:

• CAgM-16: Antalya, Turkey (10 -15 April 2014)
• CAgM-XV: Belo Horizonte, Brazil (15 - 23 July 2010)
• CAgM-XIV: New Delhi, India (28 October - 3 November 2006)
• CAgM-XIII: Ljubjana, Slovenia (10-18 October 2002)
• CAgM-XII: Accra, Ghana (18-26 February 1999)
• CAgM-XI: Havana, Cuba (13-24 February 1995)
• CAgM-X: Florence, Italy (2-13 December 1991)
• CAgM-IX: Madrid, Spain (17-28 November 1986)
• CAgM-VIII: Geneva, Switzerland (21 February - 4 March 1983)
• CAgM-VII: Sofia, Bulgaria (17-28 September 1979)
• CAgM-VI: Washington, USA (14-25 October 1974)
• CAgM-V: Geneva, Switzerland (18-29 October 1971)
• CAgM-IV: Quezon City, Manila, Philippines (15-29 November 1967)
• CAgM-III: Toronto, Canada (9-26 July 1962)
• CAgM-II: Warsaw, Poland (29 September-17 October 1958)
• CAgM-I: Paris, France (3-20 November 1953)

The 16th Session of CAgM approved priorities for CAgM (2014-2018) (Resolution 2):

(1) Improving service quality and service delivery by:

1. Developing enhanced services for the agricultural, livestock, forestry, rangelands and fisheries communities including agricultural meteorological consultancy
2. Engaging with the Agriculture and Food Security exemplar of the Global Framework for Climate Services
3. Encouraging development of a knowledge-sharing interface between forecasters/scientists, extension services and the agricultural decision-makers
4. Identifying agrometeorological information needs of the vulnerable communities to facilitate development of more useful and appropriate agrometeorological information products related to services for the group

(2) Advancing scientific research and its application, as well as the development and implementation of technology to support sustained services outcomes on all scales and especially to address the challenges of managing climate risks and adapting to climate variability and change through:

1. Developing technological applications to communicate information to agricultural decision-makers
2. Identifying innovative risk management systems in global food production
3. Reviewing standards for measuring agricultural meteorological parameters

(3) Strengthening capacity development through agricultural meteorological training at the regional, national and local levels

(4) Building and enhancing partnerships and cooperation through working in collaboration with other WMO technical commissions and Members, and United Nations agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Food Programme, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and other relevant organizations, to create synergies and to support improved agricultural production and economic development.