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> home > programs & activities > CLIMAG > CLIMAG West Africa CLIMAG West Africa Demonstration Project
Participating Countries:
Mali and Niger Background: Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in the ability to monitor current climatic condition, and forecast climate variability at seasonal intervals and within shorter time frames. START has developed a program on climate and agriculture (CLIMAG) to use information from seasonal and sub-seasonal scale forecasts to improve cropping strategies and enhance agriculture production in agro-ecosystems at the farm level. The intent of CLIMAG is to demonstrate that strategic decision-making can be effective in improving agricultural yield. In addition START has established a CLIMAG demonstration project in West Africa. This collaborative effort involves Meteo-Mali (the national meteorological service of Mali), The National Institute for Rural and Economic Development and several other national agencies within Mali, the African Center for Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD), the Centre Régional de Formation et d’Application en Agrométéorologie et Hydrologie Opérationnelle (AGHRYMET), ICRISAT- the CGIAR system center based at Bamako, Mali, the International Research Institute for Climate Prediction at Columbia University in USA, the Tyndall Center at the University of East Anglia, UK, and the Fondazione per la Meteorologia Applicata (FMA) in Florence, Italy. Funding support from the NORAD grant was critical in bringing the African partners together at an initial workshop where the project and a proposal to the ENRICH program of the European Commission were developed. NORAD funding also supported two young scientists from Meteo-Mali to undertake training at the Tyndall Center and FMA on latest techniques for seasonal/sub-seasonal scale forecasts. Farmers from Mali were sponsored by ICRISAT to partake in the project. Outcomes: Developed a regional network of collaborating institutions (listed above), including ICRISAT (CGIAR)/Mali, the African Center for Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD), the International Research Institute for Climate Prediction, national meteorological and agricultural agencies and the farming community in the region. Thirteen regional and international institutions are involved in follow-on activities. Furthermore, working relationship has been established with other regional activities related to FEWS (Famine Early Warning Systems) network comprising FAO, WMO and USAID. Supported two fellowships awarded to Meteo-Mali personnel at increasing regional technical capacity. (1) Siaka Baya, was awarded a START Fellowship to the Fondazione per la Meteorologia Applicata, Italy, for a period of 5 months. (2) Mr. Diarra, Chief of the Division of Research and Development of the National Meteorological Service of Mali and participant of CLIMAG West Africa, was supported by a START Fellowship to work with Dr. Jean Palutikof at the University of East Anglia on combining numerical and statistical methodologies of regional forecast.
Contact: Patricia Sipher, Program Coordinator |
