Programme on Climate Information for Resilient Development in Africa (CIRDA)

‘The Last Mile’

Saving lives, improving livelihoods and increasing resiliency with tailored weather information services
for a changing climate

15-17 March, 2016, Livingstone, Zambia

Climate information and early warning systems can save lives, improve livelihoods and build resiliency across Africa. In order to seize this opportunity, timely, accurate and actionable weather and climate information must be delivered from data collection and creation sources across the “Last Mile” to uninformed and vulnerable end-users.

In this innovation-driven multi-country workshop, experts on cutting-edge technology, communications, public-private partnerships, meteorology and sustainable development will come together to explore new pathways to move from the collection of data to its application, with the end goal of creating actionable recommendations that UNDP-supported climate-information programmes can leverage to impact lives and build sustainability. For this to happen, national weather information services should not only have access to modern weather observation technologies and forecast information, but they must also be able to communicate and apply the content derived from these systems to those in need.

Interactive sessions will cover diverse topics beginning with the sharing of best practices on the application of weather data in the field, followed by sessions and panel discussions that explore important topics that will guide our journey toward the “Last Mile.” These include defining roles and responsibilities of public and private information goods, establishing key partnerships required for the design, development and potential commercialization of “Last Mile” products and services, and developing integrated communications strategies. A notable side event, The Climate Action Hackathon, will also take place in parallel to generate ideas for Last Mile products and services from the application development community and local media.

Ample time will be provided for interactive discussion between project managers, implementing agency officials and the Last Mile application development community in order to more deeply explore the development of workshop ideas within each national project.

Main Goals

  • Understand challenges and opportunities for UNDP-supported Climate Information and Early Warning Systems projects as we journey toward the last mile
  • Share best practices, innovative technologies and cutting-edge methodologies
  • Define actionable recommendations to cover the “Last Mile”
  • Build relationships and partnerships
  • Ensure long-term sustainability
  • Embrace innovation
  • Connect, listen, explore

Resources

Mobile APP

Climate Action Hackathon

Big Ideas, Visionaries, Amateur Forecasters and Computer Developers Welcome at UNDP Climate Information for a Resilient Africa Event. Learn More

25-27 August, 2015, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

UNDP CIRDA Country Project Managers Workshop

This workshop hosted by the UNDP’s Programme on Climate Information for Resilient Development in Africa (CIRDA) brings together country project managers, technical advisories, meteorologists and hydrologists, and experts on public-private partnerships, communications and development to explore innovative approaches and new technologies to strengthen and sustain climate information and early warning systems in Africa.

The meeting offers an opportunity for collaboration and knowledge sharing between in-country leadership teams from 11 African nations. Sessions focus on technical support mission planning, reports from the Strengthening National Climate Information/Early Warning System (CI/EWS) Projects, public-private partnership market studies, support for the procurement of Hydro-Meteorological technology, and covering the “Last Mile.”

Unique country clinics bring country project managers together with experts from the CIRDA Programme to discuss innovative climate and weather information
technologies, new approaches and cutting-edge applications of climate data.

The meeting is hosted at the UNDP Regional Service Center for Africa (RSC). Powerpoint presentations and videos from the event will be shared on this page as they become available.

Links

Presentations

Introductions, Meeting Goals and Strategies

Reports from Strengthening National Climate Information/ Early Warning System (CI/EWS) Projects

Day 1

Day 2

Videos


3 March, 2015, Kampala, Uganda- Workshop on Creating Value Added Weather and Climate Services through Innovative Public Private Partnerships

The UNDP-CIRDA Programme and the Government of Uganda held a training workshop at the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala aimed at building sustainable climate change adaptation and economic development plans. The workshop will support National Hydrological and Meteorological Services (NHMS) in Africa create value added weather and climate services by engaging with the private sector and developing innovative public private partnerships.

The workshop brought together government representatives, the private sector, international experts, representatives from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and UNDP. Discussions were held with representatives from agriculture, financial, aviation and telecommunication sectors on how to meet their needs and best engage them through the use of new technologies to communicate timely and reliable climate information to support national development.

Long term financial sustainability of national weather and climate services was a key topic addressed during this two day event. As governments deal with budget constraints on many fronts, limited budget resources are a challenge for NHMS in their attempts meet the information needs of local populations. Conversations were centered on analyzing the potential for generating revenue to support the sustainability of weather and climate services, including opportunities for collaboration with mobile phone companies and establishing succesful public private partnerships. These discussions led to the development of country action plans to provide a pathway forward in CIRDA's 11 partner countries.

Workshop Agenda

Workshop Logistic Note

Official Press Release

Workshop Minutes

Action Plans

Presentations:

Day 1

Day 2

CIRDA Partner Country Presentations

14 October, 2014, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania- Workshop on a Systems Approach to Designing, Implementing, and Utilizing Observing Networks

UNDP’s Multi Country Support Programme to Strengthen Climate Information and Resilience Development in Africa (CIRDA), in close collaboration with the UNDP Country Office in Tanzania, held a training workshop on a Systems Approach to Designing, Implementing, and Utilizing Observing Networks from 14 to16 October, 2014, at the Hotel White Sands in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The workshop provided training to Directors of the National Meteorology and Hydrology Services (NHMS), Directors of the NHMS Observation Networks, CIRDA country managers, and other interested CIRDA partners, by introducing a systems approach to the design, implementation, and utilization of observing networks. Training sessions were led by international professionals in the fields of meteorology, surface observations, data quality, private sector engagement, and climate technologies. The event also provided an opportunity for country representatves to present their progress on implementing local and national early warning systems (EWS) with the support of the Programme. The workshop discussion resulted in the development of country posters that detailed national observing networks.

Click here for the agenda workshop

Workshop Participants

Links to Presentations:

Click here to see a video on the EWS in Benin and its success in alerting local populations on hazardous floodings.

Click here for a fact sheet on Sao Tome and Principe's EWS

Country posters detailing national observing networks

20 May, 2014, Nairobi, Kenya- Roundtable on Strengthening Development of Weather, Climate and Hydrology related Early Warning Systems in Africa

Development banks, intergovernmental agencies and meteorological services working in Africa to support the development of climate information and early warning systems across Africa met in Nairobi to communicate and raise awareness of ongoing and planned iniatives. This event is an example of the ongoing coordination between programmes and agencies to assure that all iniatives are in keeping with development and adaptation needs. Discussions served to highlight the complementary nature of regional activities directed at enhancing climate information systems.

CIRDA Programme Manager, Bonizella Biagini, presented the aims, objectives, actions and scope of the CIRDA Programme.

Click here for presentation.

Presentations were also made by representatives from UNESCO, WMO, AFDB, Kenya's Metorological Service, ICPAC, NDMA, UNEP and the UN's International System for Disaster Reduction.

For a full summary of the event, click here.

13 April, 2014, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia- Launch of the Multi Country Support Programme to Strengthen Climate Information Systems in Africa

Representatives from UNDP's GEF Unit met in Ethiopia on April 13-14 with high level representatives from Benin, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia to launch the Multi Country Support Programme to Strengthen Climate Information Systems in Africa. The Honorable Ministers of Environment from Uganda, Sao Tome and Principe as well as the Executive Chairperson of the Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone were present to celebrate the Programme's onset.

As a highlight to the workshop, an Expo with 13 meteorological companies and service providers was held to introduce government representatives to the cutting edge technologies available in the collection, processing and dissemination of climate information.

Agenda

Links to Presentations

Workshop Participants