The clients for agrometeorological information

This paper deals with the clients that may use agrometeorological information. The sections treat the possible identities of the clients, the nature of the information products that they may request, the products that an agrometeorological unit can provide, the manner of delivery of the product, and the evaluation of the value of the product to the client. A fair amount of agrometeorological knowledge is, or can relatively easily be made available, but far from all is used. If agrometeorological information is communicated to the right client and applied, agrometeorology can help find ‘windows of opportunity’ to practise sustainable, high quality agriculture more profitably, with less risks, less cost, and less environmental pollution and damage. Such an application requires a concerted and interdisciplinary approach, whether by the public service or by a commercial firm, to offer the agrometeorological product to the client. The reward may be great, because clients may persist for a very long time and useful products may have an incalculably fruitful outcome. Such is proven by the agrometeorological information for the control of potato blight (Phytophthora infestans), now supplied to potato farmers all over the world: a single agrometeorological information product, steadily perfected, and persistently used for more than a lifetime of man, having positively affected untold millions of lives.