20 May 2009: The International Workshop on the Content, Communication and Use of Weather and Climate Products and Services for Sustainable Agriculture took place in Toowoomba, Australia, from 18-20 May 2009.

The meeting was organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in conjunction with the University of Southern Queensland, the South Australian Research and Development Institute and other co-sponsors.
Over 80 scientists from around the globe participated in the workshop, representing National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), agricultural institutions and universities. The workshop concluded that the agricultural sector has not taken full advantage of the advances made in weather and climate forecasts, due to a lack of contact between the providers of weather and climate information and farming communities.
The workshop adopted a set of recommendations aimed at enhancing interaction between NMHSs and the farming community, including: identifying a focal point by farmer associations and industry organizations; interacting with weather and climate service providers for product development; and disseminating agro-meteorological information. Other recommendations aim at improving weather and climate information for farmers, for example by integrating climate projections into agro-meteorological products and by enhancing knowledge-sharing between countries. [WMO Press Release] [Workshop website]