The document summarizes a project to enhance the availability of weather data for climate change adaptation in Ugandan agriculture using mobile technology. Remote telemetry units were installed at eight National Agricultural Research Organization institutes to automatically record weather data and transmit it remotely via mobile networks. This addresses the lack of sufficient climate data due to damaged weather stations. Real-time weather data is now available online, which will help fill data gaps and support climate-smart agricultural planning and adaptation strategies.

1. Enhancing the availability of weather data for climate change
Adaptation in Ugandan Agriculture using mobile technology
Everline Komutunga1, Ambrose Agona1, Drake Mubiru1, Wiebe Boer2, Betty Kibaara2, Deus Bamanya3, Andrew Ssali4
1National Agricultural Research Laboratories - Kawanda, P.O. Box 7065, Kampala- Uganda,
2 Rockefeller Foundations, Eden Square, Block 1, 2nd Floor, Greenway Lane, P. O. Box 14531, West lands 00800, Nairobi, Kenya,
3Uganda Meteorological Department, Old Postal Building. Floor 10., Kampala
National Cops Resources Research Institute, P . O. Box 7084, Kampala
Abstract
Detailed studies on climate change in Uganda to understand the rates, magnitude, direction, spatial and temporal extents of
the change for agricultural planning have been constrained by lack of sufficient climate data since most agro-meteorological
observatories were vandalized during political turmoil. This limits planning adaptation strategies and interventions. The agro
meteorology unit at NARL- Kawanda with support from the Rockefeller Foundation has installed remote telemetry Units
(RTUS) to revamped these observatories. The RTUs use mobile technology and can be remotely logged onto by researchers,
via internet, to get real time weather data across the country. As a result real time weather data is now available for eight
NARO institutes.
Objectives
• bridge the weather data collection gap
• work towards climate tailored agricultural adaptation strategies
Methodology
The Remote Telemetry Unit (RTU) Series 4 is a low-power (solar
panel), Global System for Mobile (GSM)/ General Packet Radio Service
(GPRS) based device with four digital I/O ports, twelve analog inputs,
and four counter inputs (A753 addWAVE ). It incorporates a GSM
module which employs the standard cellular network for retrieving
telemetry data. The unit is fitted with an MTN Subscriber Identity Module
(SIM- card). Depending on topography, it ensures a reliable wireless
connection to the cellular service provider that must cover the site for
RTU installation. The maximum theoretical distance to a base station of
the provider is approximately 35 km, due to timing constraints of the Plate 1: RTU with attached sensors
GSM system. This system automatically records weather elements from
the sensors on to the (RTU) modem which is remotely accessed by the Achievements
Gateway server base station at NARL – Kawanda using mobile • real time weather data is now available at
technology. The server is connected to the internet and data can be eight NARO institutes.
retrieved at any place by clicking a button. • increased use of climate data in research
planning
Plate 2: Functional design of the system
Conclusion
The data collected using this system will help bridge the data gap and combined with other existing data help unravel climate
variability and extreme event patterns for planning community adaptation activities and research agenda in agriculture.
This work was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation to NARO, NARL-KAWANDA