Meteomatics is collaborating with Reinhart and Alliance Ginneries to help smallholder farmers in Tanzania and Zambia adapt to a changing climate. The goal is to increase organic cotton yields by 15–20% by helping them adopt Good Organic Agricultural Practices (GOAP) and make well-informed decisions about their farming methods, all while promoting sustainability.

Climate Change and Limited Resources

Cotton is a cornerstone of global agriculture, supporting over 100 million households. 

In Africa, where 7% of the world's cotton is grown, most smallholder farmers rely entirely on natural rainfall as irrigation is not an option. Success depends on timely rainfall during the growth phase and dry conditions during harvest. However, as climate change disrupts weather patterns, it has become harder for farmers to decide when to plant and harvest.

To complicate matters, many farmers lack access to weather forecasts, relying instead on visual cues or word-of-mouth, which limits their ability to adapt their practices.

Supporting Farmers with Weather Forecasts

For over 230 years, Reinhart has been a trusted name in cotton trading, including organic cotton sourced from Africa. Now, as climate change threatens yields, smallholder farmers are struggling to sustain profitable cotton crops using traditional methods. Recognizing this challenge, Reinhart partnered with Meteomatics to support these farmers with weather forecasts.

Reliable Weather Forecasts to Increase Organic Cotton Yields by 15-20%

In collaboration with Alliance Ginneries, a certified sustainable cotton partner in Tanzania and Zambia, Reinhart plans to deliver Meteomatics' tailored weather data to smallholder farmers. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) under the Cotton4Impact initiative, the project aims to touch around 12,000 farmers in Tanzania and 3,500 in Zambia.

The goal is to increase organic cotton yields by 15–20% while promoting sustainability. Organic cotton farmers receive a premium over conventional cotton prices, improving their income and incentivizing environmentally friendly practices. Organic farming methods improve soil fertility and resilience by completely eliminating the use of synthetic chemicals.

During the pilot phase, successfully completed in December 2024, Reinhart and Alliance Ginneries compared Meteomatics’ 10-day precipitation and soil moisture forecasts with on-the-ground observations to assess accuracy. “The results were extremely precise, with rain and cloud cover matching the forecasts by 99%,” says Boaz Ogola, Managing Director at Alliance Ginneries Tanzania.

In Zambia, the situation is critical as the region is experiencing a severe drought, and farmers are eagerly waiting for rain. “With this year’s drought, rain forecasts are critical for us in Zambia, as there are narrow windows of opportunity for planting. During the pilot phase, Meteomatics’ data provided invaluable insights into these windows for entire districts,” says John Tembo, Operations Manager at Alliance Ginneries Zambia.

Now that the pilot phase is over, Reinhart will hand over Meteomatics' high-resolution weather data (downscaled to 90 meters) to its local ginner partner Alliance Ginneries. They can then interpret the data and share it with farmers via SMS, ensuring that even those with basic mobile phones can receive the updates. In the future, farmers could even get information on rainfall, temperature, and soil moisture specific to their farms.

These updates will be particularly helpful during the growing season, guiding farmers on the optimal time to plant seeds based on rainfall patterns. By offering practical advice, the project enables farmers to make informed decisions and adapt to changing weather conditions.

“Accessing weather data for entire areas using polygon queries through the Meteomatics Weather API is perfect for this project. It enables us to focus on specific cotton farms in Tanzania and Zambia with an impressive resolution of 90 meters,” says Dr. Matthias Häni, external consultant to the Cotton4Impact project.

Bridging the Gap with Technology

“This initiative demonstrates how technology can bridge gaps for smallholder cotton farmers in remote locations,” says Dr. Philippe Saner, Head Sustainability at Reinhart. “By making reliable weather data accessible and actionable, we’re helping farmers adapt to new challenges and secure better futures.”

Through this collaboration, Reinhart and Meteomatics aim to make a positive impact on cotton farming in Tanzania and Zambia, proving that technology can support sustainable agriculture and improve livelihoods.