This survey aims at understanding how farmers make decisions using climate information.
The information you provide will be kept anonymous and used for intended research purpose only. This information will be used to improve the future ability to forecast variability in climate and hence provide farmers with better decision making tools. We will share with you the key results from this survey on the Kenya Meteorological Department website and the local agriculture office in your area or if you provide an e-mail address.
Please answer all questions using [X]. Select more than one where applicable
( Acronyms : KMD=Kenya Meteorological Department, SCF=Seasonal Climate Forecasts, IF=Indigenous
Forecasts)
Section A: Participant and other farming practice information
1 a) Name:_______________________ b) Sex: [ ] Male [ ] Female c) Age: [ ] 20 – 45 years [ ] Over 45 years d) Level of education [ ] Primary [ ] High School [ ] College and above e) Do you have any agricultural training [ ] Yes [ ] No f) Location of farm:____________Sub-location___________ Village:_______________ g) Size of family on farm: _________________ h) Sources of income: Farm only [ ] Employment [ ] Business [ ] Other [ ]
Prefer not to answer [ ] i) Size of your farm? ______________ (acres/hectares)
2 a) How important is Maize crop in your farming on a scale of 1 to 5. least important>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>most important
[ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5 b) If you grow other crops on your farm, what is the percentage?
[ ] 0% [ ] 1 - 33% [ ] 34 - 66% [ ] 67 - 100% [ ] Don’t know c) Which of the folowing best describes your maize yields in the last 5 years?
Rating Please explain your rating (e.g. bags per hectare etc)
Outstanding
Above average
Average
Below average [ ]
Poor
Unable to rate
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]

Section B: Forecasts and farm decision making information
3 a) Please characterize your use of the following by selecting what applies to you
I am User of: Type of information I use is:
Seasonal Climate
Forecasts [ ]
Daily forecasts
Weekly forecasts
[ ]
[ ]
Indigenous
Forecasts [ ]
Seasonal Climate
Forecasts &
Indigenous
Forecasts [ ]
10 day forecasts
Monthly forecasts [ ]
Seasonal forecasts (3 month)
Other [ ]
_____________________________
_________
[ ]
[ ]
_____________________________
None of the
Above [ ]
I get my information from
Personal experience [ ]
Observations [ ]
KMD website [ ]
Newspaper [ ]
Television
Radio
Others [ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Consult rainmaker [ ]
Local Agriculture office [ ] b) How long have you been using the forecasts or your choice(s) in 3 (a)?
Over 5 years [ ] Less than 5 years [ ] Last 5 years [ ] c) Why did you use the forecasts ?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________ c) With respect to rainfall forecasts explain briefly what you understand by the terms
“Normal”, “Above normal” and “Below normal” rainfall
Forecast term
Below normal rainfall Extremely high rainfall [ ] high rainfall [ ] moderate rainfall [ ] low rainfall [ ]
Dont know [ ]
Normal rainfall
Above normal rainfall
Extremely high rainfall [ ] high rainfall [ ] moderate rainfall [ ] low rainfall
Dont know
[ ]
[ ]
Extremely high rainfall [ ] high rainfall [ ]
Explanation
0 mm
1 - 50 mm
51 - 100 mm
101-150 mm
151 -200 mm
0 mm
1 - 50 mm
51 - 100 mm
101-150 mm
151 -200 mm
Above 200 mm
0 mm
1 - 50 mm
Above 200 mm
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]

moderate rainfall low rainfall
Dont know
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
51 - 100 mm
101-150 mm
151 -200 mm
Above 200 mm
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ] d) What would you describe to be the ideal rainfall forecast you have used for a good maize yield from your farm?
Extremely high rainfall [ ] high rainfall [ ] moderate rainfall [ ] low rainfall [ ] Dont know [ ]
Please provide details of how much maize you harvested in response to (d)
_________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________ e) Please give a practical example and show how you applied any aspects in the forecasts in making farm decisions such as; crop to plant in the short or long rain season
Farm decision Forecast aspect (Indicator used).
What did you do?
Rainfall decile
Rainfall amount
Wind direction
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
Croak of frogs [ ]
Falling of leaves [ ]
Onset dates [ ]
Others [ ]
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
4. In your opinion, how best would you describe the accuracy of the forecasts you have been using on a scale of 1 to 5?
Not accurate>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Extremely Accurate
I don’t know
1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5 [ ] [ ]
5. In your opinion, by combining SCF and IF how best would you describe the accuracy of the forecasts?
Not accurate>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Extremely Accurate
I don’t know
I don’t combine
SCF/IF
1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5 [ ] [ ] [ ]
6. How satisfied are you with the forecasts you have been using?
Very Dissatisfied>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Very Satified I don’t know

1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4 [ ] 5 [ ] [ ]
7. Do your neighbours make use of forecasts in farm decisions?
i) Yes [ ] ii) No [ ] iii) Don’t know [ ]
8. Is there anything you would like to suggest regarding the use of forecasts?
(E.g. Constraints etc)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
9 a) During rain season, have you ever experienced dry periods after planting? [ ] Yes [ ]
No
b) If you said ‘Yes’ in 9(a) give one example of how you dealt with the situation
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________ c) In your opinion, have the planting and harvesting dates changed? [ ] Yes [ ] No d)
If you said ‘Yes’ in 9(c) how have planting and harvesting dates changed?
Change in planting dates [ ] Comes early [ ] Comes late [ ] have not changed [ ] I dont know
Change in harvest dates [ ] Comes early [ ] Comes late [ ] have not changed [ ] I dont know
10. Please indicate if you would like to participate in future research (survey)
Yes [ ] No [ ]