How the DROPapp Helps Farmers Make Weather-Smart Decisions
June 20, 2025
Every morning when he wakes up, Wageningen University researcher and SAFE4ALL project coordinator Spyros Paparrizos checks his weather apps to decide whether to grab an umbrella or sunglasses before biking to work in the ever-unpredictable Dutch weather. However, for smallholder farmers in places like northern Ghana, the same daily weather check can determine when to sow, apply fertilizer, or harvest their crops — decisions that significantly impact entire harvests and livelihoods.
To support such decisions, Spyros and his team at Wageningen University co-developed the DROPapp together with local communities, bringing trusted weather and climate information directly to farmers’ phones. It is part of the EU HORIZON SAFE4ALL project, which aims to strengthen climate resilience, enhance food security, and address internal migration in rural Africa.
A Shared Journey: From Africa to Europe and Back
The DROPapp story began in northern Ghana, in communities around the rapidly growing city of Tamale — one of West Africa’s fastest-urbanizing areas. Thanks to a long-standing research collaboration with the University for Development Studies (UDS), the team had strong on-the-ground relationships and a deep understanding of the needs of small-scale communities that supply the city with food.
Showcasing the DROPapp to participants in Nakpanzoo community, Northern Ghana. (Photo credit: Richard Kwame Dogbey)
Back in 2019, they began engaging local communities to raise awareness about the importance of weather in daily farming practices, build digital literacy, and tap into indigenous knowledge on weather forecasting. Today, through the SAFE4ALL project, the app is also being piloted in communities in Kenya and Zimbabwe, in collaboration with farmers, agricultural extension officers, and national meteorological services.
Tackling Climate Challenges
In many rural African areas, farming depends almost entirely on rainfall. But climate change is making the weather less predictable, with dry spells, floods, and shifting seasons disrupting traditional farming routines.
Before the DROPapp, most farmers relied on intuition, local knowledge, or word-of-mouth, often receiving little or no timely weather information and having to deal with the consequences.
Forecasting, Together
What makes the DROPapp unique is its blend of modern science and indigenous knowledge. It combines satellite-based weather forecasts from state-of-the-art numerical prediction models with traditional local indicators, such as the movement of ants or behavior of caterpillars, that have long been used to predict rainfall.
“Many farmers had never used a formal weather forecast before,” Spyros says. “There were several reasons: lack of access, lack of understanding, or forecasts not being tailored to their needs, so they could not use them to make climate-smart decisions. That’s why we co-designed the app with and for smallholder farmers, making sure it’s aligned with their practices, language, and ways of thinking.”
This co-creation approach builds trust and ensures the forecasts are relevant to local realities. Farmers can choose between scientific, local, or hybrid forecasts, and use them to better plan planting, weeding, spraying, and harvesting.
Bridging Generations and Systems
The app is designed for smartphones, which many farmers, especially younger ones, now own. But digital solutions must also align with cultural norms and local traditions.
“In some communities, planting cannot begin until the local chief gives permission — regardless of what the weather says,’’ Spyros explains. This balance of innovation and respect for tradition is what makes DROPapp stand out.
A Growing Impact
Early results show that farmers are already adjusting their practices based on the app’s forecasts.
“Before, we guessed when the rain would come. Now I wait for the app to confirm it,” one farmer shared. “I planted later than usual because the app showed a rain delay — and it worked.” While challenges remain, such as improving digital access for older farmers and enhancing forecast accuracy, the app is proving to be a valuable tool for climate-smart agriculture.
Global Roots, Local Futures
Though rooted in Africa, the DROPapp is now being used in other parts of the Global South, including Bangladesh, Guatemala, and beyond, supporting small-scale farming communities with practical, trusted weather and climate information. It is a powerful example of how collaboration between science and local knowledge can help communities adapt to climate change and build more resilient futures.
Early results show that farmers are already adjusting their practices based on the app’s forecasts.
“Before, we guessed when the rain would come. Now I wait for the app to confirm it,” one farmer shared. “I planted later than usual because the app showed a rain delay — and it worked.” While challenges remain, such as improving digital access for older farmers and enhancing forecast accuracy, the app is proving to be a valuable tool for climate-smart agriculture.
You can download the DROPapp from Google Play Here
DROPapp presentation during the SAFE4ALL General Assembly, Accra, Ghana 2025 (Phot credit: Romeo Tweneboah Koduah)
Some relevant work related to the DROPapp:
Sutanto, S.J., Paparrizos, S., et al. 2025. DROP app: a hydroclimate information service to deliver scientific rainfall, local rainfall, and soil moisture forecasts for agricultural decision-making. Heliyon, 11(4), e42740.
Paparrizos, S., Vignola, R. and Sutanto, SJ. 2024. Integrating user- and data-driven weather forecasts to develop legitimate, credible, and salient information services for smallholders in the Global South. Scientific Reports, 14, 22841
Paparrizos, S., et al. 2023. Local rainfall forecast knowledge across the globe used for agricultural decision-making. Science of the Total Environment, 899, 165539.