Climate Services Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa

A number of projects are being successfully implemented as part of a four-year agreement signed in December 2011 between the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and WMO.

The Metagri Operational Project is enabling the organization of nearly 200 roving seminars on weather and climate for farmers in 17 countries throughout West Africa, including Sierra Leone in May 2014. About 7,000 farmers and agricultural extension officers have been trained and will train other farmers and fishermen in 2014 in 2015. Nearly 4,000 plastic rain gauges have been distributed. This innovative, cost-effective programme provides farmers with the knowledge and means to measure rainfall and plan their planting and harvest accordingly to maximize yields and adapt to climate variability. The project also includes a component on capacity building for the NMHS on remote sensing and crop model tools to provide better agricultural weather and climate services.

The Severe Weather Forecasting Demonstration Project is strengthening the capacity of meteorological services to forecast hazardous weather in Southern and Eastern Africa. It has improved the lead-time and reliability for alerts about high-impact events such as heavy rain, severe winds and high waves, thus helping to save lives and property and supporting vital sectors like farming and fishing. It works on a “cascading” principle by sharing the expertise and sophisticated forecast and training products of top-level global centres with national public weather services in participating developing countries.

The African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) is a high-level body endorsed by the African Union Heads of States whose mission is to provide political leadership and guidance, policy direction and advocacy in the provision and use of weather and climate services to support socio-economic development in Africa. The Third Session of AMCOMET is expected to take place in October 2014 to review the progress of the Decisions taken during its Second Session in October 2012.  This includes the development of the Implementation and Resource Mobilization Plan of the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology (Weather and Climate Services). The Strategy outlines a holistic approach in the development of meteorology and its applications in Africa and positions weather and climate services, in particular National Meteorological and Hydrological Services as essential components in national and regional development frameworks.  The Strategy further aims to as a framework for integrated and coordinated mechanisms in streamlining policies that address challenges and opportunities associated with the development of adequate weather and climate services at the national and regional levels and serves as a key mechanism for the implementation of a structured GFCS in Africa. The World Meteorological Organization serves as the Secretariat of AMCOMET in collaboration with the African Union Commission.