The RANET Project: Climate Information Collection in Zambia

The RANET project in Zambia has implemented a community-based approach to climate monitoring by providing rain gauges to 3,050 rural residents. To ensure this information is useful for adaptation, the project utilizes a multi-channel dissemination strategy including SMS messaging, satellite-based systems like Chatty Beetle, and community FM radio stations that translate data into local languages. The author argues that timely, accurate climate information is a 'perishable commodity' essential for reducing the vulnerability of peasant farmers who depend on rain for crop production.

• The RANET project successfully expanded climate data collection by equipping 3,050 community members in remote rural areas with rain gauges to measure rainfall.
• To disseminate climate information to rural areas, the project employs mobile phone SMS messaging, the satellite-based Chatty Beetle system for short messages, and community FM broadcasting stations.
• Community radio is identified as the most cost-effective method for education and dissemination, particularly because it allows weather information to be translated into local languages for a wider audience.
• The project is considering the deployment of automatic weather stations for rural farmer cooperatives, which would require simple training for cooperative office bearers every two years.

APA

Mumbi, R. (2010). The RANET Project: Climate Information Collection in Zambia. World Resources Institute. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-5-response-2.pdf

Chicago

Mumbi, Riedner. The RANET Project: Climate Information Collection in Zambia. World Resources Institute, 2010. https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-5-response-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mumbi |first1=Riedner |title=The RANET Project: Climate Information Collection in Zambia |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=2010 |url=https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-5-response-2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mumbi2010ranet, author = {Mumbi, Riedner}, title = {{The RANET Project: Climate Information Collection in Zambia}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2010}, url = {https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/2023-02/wrr-2010-11-question-5-response-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }