Posted on August, 28, 2019 at 10:08 am
TANZANIA has appealed to meteorological agencies in the Horn of Africa region to focus on issuing people centered weather forecasts that give early warnings and facilitate early action in support of climate resilience.
The Minister for Works Transport and Communications, Isack Kamwelwe made the call yesterday in Dar es Salaam when opening the 53rd Greater Horn of Africa Forum (GHACOF) organized by the region’s Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) through the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC).
Kamwelwe said most economies of the Horn of Africa depend on climate projection for various economic activities, thus early warning is key to mitigating climate change effects hence prosperity of the region.
“We depend on climate for our prosperity so, climate information and weather updates are a key component to the region’s economic prosperity,” he asserted.
The minister underscored the need to include indigenous knowledge in climate prediction saying there was need for having a department in the regional meteorological agency to handle this aspect of climate data.
The meeting will also issue a weather outlook for October, November and December prospective rainy season for the Horn of Africa region, with participants expected to come up with deliberations on how early warnings can help to mitigate climate change effects.
It is held under the theme "Early Warning for Early Action in Support of Climate Resilience” and brings together participants from Tanzania, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Rwanda and Uganda.
Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) Director General Dr Agnes Kijazi said the forum is aimed at developing consensus on the climate outlook for October, November and December in the Greater Horn of Africa.
She said the region faces climate variables that make prediction a challenge due to lack of infrastructure. The government has already bought two weather radars and the aim is to have seven countrywide, the director noted.
In his remarks, Word Meteorological Organization (WMO) representative Dr Ernest Afesimama said investment in people-centred forecasts was key to development of the region.
He said among other things the outlook is aimed at coming up with an approach to deal with climate change to develop consensus then develop mitigation strategies.
Speaking at a meeting prior to the forum on Sunday, titled ‘Greater Horn of Africa Climate Communication Workshop,’ participants highlighted the importance of communication as a key component towards establishing climate change interventions.
African Development Bank (AfDB) representative Dr Solomon Ngoze said the bank injected $1.6 billion last year to adapt to climate change in the continent.
Source: IPP Media