Pune In a bid to address improvements needed in weather and climate forecasts with the help of South Asian countries, the South Asian Climate outlook Forum (SASCOF) commenced its first meeting on Tuesday at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology here. The meet , which will conclude on Thursday, will witness participation from delegates from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, besides several regional and global experts. It is jointly organised by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the IITM as well as is supported by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) through its Climate Information and Prediction Services (CLIPS). IITM director Prof BN Goswami said there is an urgent need to bring about improvements in weather and climate forecasts and the collective efforts of the South Asian Countries will help achieve this goal. According to a press note, the main objective of the SASCOF are to review the progress made in understanding the long-range prediction of summer monsoon both regionally and globally and to provide a platform for the stakeholders of SASCOF. Dr. Ajit Tyagi, Director General of Meteorology and Permanent Representative of the WMO, inaugurated the Session of the SACOF -1. The forum is expected to provide a climate outlook for the coming summer monsoon season of 2010, he said. The SASCOF will initially focus specifically on the summer monsoon. The southwest monsoon plays a crucial role in the entire socio-economic fabric of South Asia, affecting all walks of life. The southwest monsoon (June - September) rainfall accounts for 75 - 90 per cent of the annual rainfall of the most of the countries of the region. Several studies highlight the critical dependence of crop production on monsoon rainfall. The summer monsoon rainfall is also important for hydroelectric power generation and meeting out drinking water requirements. Thus, being essentially driven by the agricultural growth, the economies of all South Asian countries are inextricably tied to the performance of the summer monsoon. Monsoon prediction and outlook is therefore a shared challenge for South Asian nations, and SASCOF will initially focus on facilitating a common understanding and develop consensus based outlook for the ensuing summer monsoon, said the note.