Project number
TERRACLIM2017
Project title
Scoping climate database to aid long and short term decision making
Project leader
Southey, T O
Institution
University of Stellenbosch. Department of Viticulture and Oenology
Completion date
2018
Project description
The online spatial decision support system (SDSS) for a selected test area in the Western Cape was created to address the problem highlighted by researchers, consultants and farmers, that there is a need for easier accessibility to data in the agriculture domain, to aid long and short term decision making in the context of climate change. As a pilot study, the goal of this project was to test the fundamental workflow and design of an online SDSS, and provide an indication of the feasibility, time and cost for a wider-scale project.
Interactions and interviews with researchers, consultants and farmers, to identify their expectation and needs of an integrated database for the South African wine industry, with a focused need for long and short term decision making was conducted. The second phase researched the levels in the scoping document, identifying what is needed and available to realise the integrated database. The project developed automated workflows for the importing of data using open source tools, integrating the spatial datasets at a vineyard scale for a pilot area and disseminate these datasets via a prototype online SDSS.
Surveys from researchers, consultants and farmers, highlighted some key needs for an integrated climate and terrain database to aid long and short-term decision making in agriculture. The scoping document provided a strategy forward based on the processing capabilities for the creation of the integrated database. Data sources and processing capacity tested in the pilot study area has provided insights to the way forward for the extrapolation to the greater area of the Western Cape. The development of the scripts for the temperature surface interpolation, intentionally modular in nature, designed to accommodate future database expansion.
Collation of research and industry based information to better serve industry and research intelligence through and integrated web interface to aid future decision making. This SDSS platform relates the farmer and researcher on a spatial platform, data sharing to empower the farmer and researcher to better mitigate change at regional, farm and vineyard level. The surveys, scoping and pilot study, has highlighted the needs, possibilities and the fundamental workflow and design of an online SDSS, providing an indication of the feasibility, time and cost for a wider-scale project.
Final Report.pdf
Addendum A.pdf
Addendum B.pdf
Addendum C.pdf
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