Predictability of seasonal precipitation across major crop growing areas in Colombia
Agriculture is one of the sectors that has greatly benefitted from the establishment of climate services. In Colombia, interannual climate variability can disrupt agricultural production, lower farmers' incomes and increase market prices. Increasing demand thus exists for agro-climatic services in the country. Fulfilling such demand requires robust and consistent approaches for seasonal climate forecasting. Here, we assess seasonal precipitation predictability and forecast skill at agriculturally-relevant timescales for five departments that represent key growing areas of major staple crops (rice, maize, and beans).