Agricultural meteorology — its scope and aims
198 J. Lomas et al. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 103 2000 197–208
day-to-day farm planning and operations. Therefore, the number and quality of trained technical and pro-
fessional personnel in agricultural meteorology are critical factors since the effectiveness of any agri-
cultural meteorology service is determined by the competence and qualifications of its staff. To sustain
this service, there is need for qualified personnel ca- pable and willing to play this role. In addition to those
employed in the agrometeorological services, much greater knowledge of the subject is needed within
both the user and the research communities.
This paper presents a selected overview of the cur- rent status together with a projection of the future
needs for agrometeorological education and training. Education and training have a common objective, i.e.
development of human resources: however, there are specific differences between them.
1.2. The concept of education The Oxford English Dictionary defines education
as ‘systematic instruction, schooling or training given to the young and to adults in preparation for the work
of life’. Education includes the development of sound reasoning processes to enhance one’s ability to under-
stand and interpret information. The concept of ed- ucation, by and large, includes activities directed at
providing information, understanding skills, and moral values that are required in the normal course of life.
Providing information and skills is not for a limited scope or activity but focuses on a wide range of activ-
ities. The main aim of education is to create circum- stances and opportunities for youth and adults to learn,
among other things, cultures and natural laws and to acquire skills, including languages, that form the ba-
sis for learning, personal development, creativity and communications. Education, therefore, broadens ones
scientific base and is usually of long duration. For a professional career in such a multidisciplinary area as
agricultural meteorology the educational process must particularly enable practitioners to find and use infor-
mation from a range of sciences other than their own.
1.3. The concept of training The Oxford English Dictionary defines training as
the training of a person for some particular profession. Training is, therefore, a learning experience that seeks
a relatively permanent change in an individual that will improve his or her ability to perform on the job.
Training is regarded as a systematic and planned process to change the knowledge, skills and behavior
of personnel to achieve the objectives of the organisa- tion they work for. In contrast to education, training is
task-oriented because it focuses on the work an indi- vidual performs. Job description or task requirements
of a particular job are used to determine the nature of a training programme. Training is, therefore, directed at
improving one’s job performance in an organisation. Training is conducted as a result of technological in-
novation, when current work standards are not being maintained and when such situations are ascribed to
lack of knowledge and or skills among individual per- sonnel in an organisation. Training is, therefore, more
specific, job oriented and usually of short duration.
Neither education nor training is a one time effort. Knowledge and skills acquisition must be viewed as
a continuous process throughout one’s career. It is therefore regrettable that not all requests for education
and training fellowships to WMO can be met. During 1997, 307 fellowships were awarded 28 in agricul-
tural meteorology and 547 remained unsatisfied 47 in agrometeorology G. Necco, WMO, personal com-
munication.