Empowering Farmers and Igniting Societal Participation Through Climate Field School Program
Amidst accelerating climate change, Indonesian farmers face growing challenges in managing unpredictable weather and safeguarding food security. The Climate Field School (CFS) program was created to close the gap between complex climate data and farmers’ day-to-day decisions on planting, cultivation, and harvesting.
Since its start in 2010 with support from AUSAID, CFS has expanded nationwide, reaching 713 locations in 33 provinces and more than 20,000 participants. Led by Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), the program works through a tripartite partnership of climate information providers, agricultural agencies, and farmer groups. Training combines science with local wisdom and includes hands-on field practice, use of climate apps such as InfoBMKG and Kimono-CFS, and a training-of-trainers model that enables alumni to guide their own communities.
Key highlights applying the WMO Capacity Development Framework:
Principle 1: Holistic Approach - Integrates government, NGOs, academia, private sector, and communities, aligning traditional knowledge with scientific forecasts.
Principle 2: Sustainability - Supported by Indonesia’s state budget and recognized as a national food-security priority, with cost-sharing from partners to ensure long-term continuity.
Principle 3: Prioritization - Focuses on key food-producing and climate-vulnerable areas, from drought-prone to flood-risk zones.
Principle 4: Efficiency and Innovation - Achieves 120% of planned participation through digital tools, augmented reality learning, and new climate-smart agriculture practices.
Principle 5: Cooperation and Inclusion - Engages women (20–30% of participants), youth, and smallholders, applying a “penta-helix” model of government–private–academic–media–community collaboration.
Principle 6: Result-Based Approach - Demonstrates measurable impact, with 20–30% gains in farmers’ climate literacy and up to 30% increases in agricultural yields, while reducing crop losses and helping stabilize food prices.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations:
This Case Study highlights the importance of continuous innovation—such as integrating Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EBA) and Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA)—and the value of flexible delivery methods, including digital training that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CFS experience shows how climate services can empower farmers, strengthen local economies, and support national resilience.
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