Development of a climate and water availability indices app to support decision-making across South African water management areas

South African agriculture operates within a context of high climate variability, increasing weather and climate extremes, and water scarcity. Crop and livestock production are strongly influenced by the timing, intensity, and variability of rainfall, temperature, and other weather- and climaterelated extremes, and the availability of water within the landscape. Weather - and climate related risks such as heavy rainfall events, drought, heat stress, and extreme cold events directly affect crop yields, livestock health and productivity, grazing availability, frost risk, and irrigation demand. As a result, agricultural decision- making, from day -to-day operational choices to seasonal planning and longer-term risk management, is highly dependent on access to reliable, timely, and relevant weather and climate information. In recent decades, these challenges have intensified as climate variability and climate change have increased the frequency and severity of weather and climate extremes.