Weather information sources, sharing platforms, and trustworthiness for climate change adaptation in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal

Reliable weather information plays a greater role in agricultural decision-making and enhances adaptive capacity to climate change among farming communities. Timely weather information, pertinent understanding, and utilization support farming activities and build the resilience of smallholder farmers. This study presents a comparative analysis of sources, trustworthiness, sharing mechanisms, and use of weather information in farming practices in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. A sample household survey, Focus Group Discussion, Key Informant Interview, and observed station data of 30–40 years is the basis of the study. Association between sources, access to, and utilization of weather information, climate change knowledge, and farming experience is explored using the Chi-square and Cramér’s V test. The study found that the climate trend corroborates with the perceived and experienced climate variability of sample households. Community organization is the dominant information source. A significant variation is found between climate change knowledge, farming experience, and trustworthiness of information sources. Trustworthiness to weather information is the lowest among farmers in Nepal. A significant difference is also found regarding weather information-sharing platforms across the study countries. The timing and amount of rainfall are highly sought weather information for utilization before planting and harvesting. The study concludes that increasing climate variability demands accurate, timely weather information provision to farmers at micro-climatic spatial scales. An institutional role in monitoring and validating weather information from multiple sources is requisite for successful adoption. Weather information at the micro-climatic region minimizes climate uncertainty-induced agricultural damage by enhancing the adaptive capacity of farmers in the South Asia Region.