This study investigated the influence of indigenous forecasts (IF) and scientific forecasts (SF) on arable farmers’ and pastoralists’ estimation of onset and cessation of rains in the Rwenzori region of Western Uganda. Daily rainfall data (1970–2010) from 3 weather stations in different agro-ecological zones was used to determine mean onset and cessation dates using the Sivakaumar method. After obtaining the household survey of number of farmers and pastoralists whose estimation of onset and cessation dates were in agreement with the stations’ dates, the relationship between forecast type used and estimation of the dates was investigated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The results indicate that onset dates for the 1^st season were on 11^th, 17^th, 19^th March while cessation was 8^th, 11^th, 21^st June for lowlands, mountainous and forested areas, respectively. For the 2^nd season, forested and mountainous areas had their onsets on 3^rd and 20^th August, respectively but the lowland area their onset on 3^rd September. The cessation date for 2^nd season for forested areas was on 8^th December, while dates for lowland and mountainous areas were 17^th and 24^th November, respectively. The results suggest that there is positive relationship between using both IF and SF and estimation of onset and cessation dates but negative relationship with IF had for arable farmers. There was strong negative relationship between using both IF and SF and estimation of onset dates for the 2^nd season for arable farmers in forested areas, but strong positive relationship with those using IF only season. The coefficients of variation for the rain onsets were high implying climate variability. The adopted Sivakaumar method is easy to operationalize by farmers and pastoralists with primary level of education, and access to daily rainfall data from established institutions like schools, local clinics and facilities provided by agricultural extension workers.

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