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From an introduction it is concluded that (i) analyses of existing priority problems must be made for current farming systems, with the farmers concerned themselves advising on their needs, (ii) provincial/regional agrometeorologists are as important as the means they have to actually serve the farmers with planning and information and (iii) all local research undertakings must intentionally be related to these means, needs and problems. The recommendations based on this same introduction are that (a) dialogues with farmers, of each farming system distinguished in the region, are the very beginning of preparing for agrometeorological services, (b) for various farmer groups involved, income levels must be considered as well as occupation, where applicable and (c) an inventory of best practices for natural risk reduction, that have actually made a difference in the livelihood of farmers, should be established. In the remainder of this paper four questions are answered: (i) what is sustainable development? (2) what is the role of agricultural meteorology? (3) what about the explicit role of research? (4) can development be sustainable when the climate is not sustainable? From the answers three overall conclusions are drawn: (I) means of communication & education are part of sustainable development; (II) to a large extent only richer farmers are able to make use of whatever support systems are organized while the majority of marginal farmers are left in misery; (III) developing a response farming approach with forecasting capabilities that change and improve in the course of time, is a condition for sustainable development. Also three overall recommendations are made: (α) use the expression “agrometeorological services to prepare farmers for climate extremes and climate use” because it is closest to reality; (β) new or adapted preparedness strategies have to be developed as responses to increasing climate variability, but once response farming is aimed at, this remains the same approach but to more varying conditions; (γ) society as a whole must want to focus on rural as well as industrial development.