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Figure 2. The process (stages) for traditional knowledge data collection, storage, monitoring, forecast integration and
communication. Ongoing community support and engagement is crucial to the effective implementation of each stage
and helps to ensure that combined forecasts are properly communicated and meet user needs.
The five stages of the process are described below (see Chambers and Plotz, 2017 for more detail):
1. Once communities that use TK have expressed a desire to participate in the project, interviews are conducted using
a specially designed TK Survey that documents TK weather and climate indicators.
2. Collected TK with appropriate community permissionsis entered into the secure, culturally sensitive and easy-to-use
TK Database (e.g., Chambers et al. 2017).
3. Before traditional and contemporary forecast systems can be formally (mathematically) combined there is often
a requirement for long-term data sets of TK indicator behaviour (Plotz et al. 2017). Local monitoring networks (e.g.,
Vanuatu rainfall collection network) help to develop long-term data sets and to assess the reliability, spatial extent
and accuracy of forecasts.
4. Long-term data sets are used to formally (mathematically) combine TK and contemporary forecast systems.
5. Climate communication products are developed that incorporate traditional climate knowledge, using community
feedback to ensure community needs are met.