Historically, and still today in India, farmers have used traditional knowledge to understand weather and climate patterns in order to make decisions about crop and irrigation cycles. This knowledge is adapted to local conditions and needs and has been gained through many decades of experience passed on from previous generations. However, in recent years, farmers have perceived that the variation in rainfall is becoming increasingly erratic and difficult to predict. This has reduced their confidence in traditional knowledge and has led them to seek out scientific weather forecasts. These scientific forecasts are formulated at a much larger scale, diverging with local needs.