Implementing a network of weather and agrometeorological stations: a case study in Timor‑Leste

Abstract

A modern and developed agriculture requires permanent and reliable monitoring of both meteorological/climatic and biological variables in agrometeorological stations. The aim of this work was, firstly, to implement a network of weather stations in Timor-Leste, a developing Southeast Asian country with irregular weather/climate monitoring for the past decades mainly due to political instability (wars, occupations,...), and, secondly, to establish from it, a network of agrometeorological stations. The administrative division of the country and the available agro-climatic zoning, the location of the existing stations and of those with relevant historical records, the agricultural and forestry practices in the country, the existing agricultural research centres as well as the structure and composition of the existing stations (number and type of sensors, communication system, …) and the human resources to ensure a proper stations network management were taken into account for this purpose. The implementation of a network composed by 50 weather stations was proposed to cover the entire national territory (299.34 km2/station). By strengthening the equipment and the ability to maintain it in 15 out of these 50 stations with sensors that measure agrometeorological parameters a network of agrometeorological stations included in the former was also purposed. Flexibility in the composition of each network has been safeguarded for the purpose of responding to any substantial change in financial or technical conditions in an ever-changing country. All methodologies and recommendations were discussed on the basis of a “management concept for weather stations” which requires not only scientific rigor in the choice of locations to be monitored, but also maintenance, human resources training and the involvement of beneficiary populations.