The African Union has moved to improve access to meteorological data through the newly launched Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) project. The program which is part of the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme, aims to enhance disaster preparedness and response in Africa using space-based technologies and Earth observation data.
Speaking during the launch of the project in Windhoek, Namibia, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) Moses Vilakati appealed to the media on the continent to be more engaged and aid in unpacking complex information for use by the last mile.
“There is need to build the capacity of the media to be able to translate the information for use by the whole spectrum of the population,” he said and added, “people living with disability, need the information and so this information should be packaged and given in a language that is easily understood by all.”
Vilakati appealed to member states to put in place budgets for capacity building in the generation of meteorological data as well as delivery of usable information of weather and climate forecasts, adding that “with the current geopolitical self-centred politics there is need for Africa to plan to invest in meteorological infrastructure that provides timely data.”
The Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Jonas Sheelongo called for synergy between the researchers and academia in translating meteorological data into usable information, “timely forecasts that are well packaged can improve response and better use of meteorological information for proactive action.”
Sheelongo said that investing in disaster preparedness is more cost effective than having to deal with the consequences of adverse weather patterns that become disasters affecting large populations of people.
The Zambia Director of Meteorological Services Edson Nkonde noted that through co-production of weather forecasts that are tailormade towards the needs of various sectors, “provision of information free of scientific jargon can help communities to act on the information to save lives and livelihoods,” he added the Permanent Representative of Zambia with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
The Abidjan Declaration, that was signed in 2018, focused on leveraging the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite system for improved weather and climate services in Africa, emphasising on strengthening “African capacities to utilize data from the new generation of satellites for operational services and early warning systems through the establishment and operationalization of the African Meteorological Application Facility (AMSAF).”
The SEWA project is aimed at enhancing the resilience of member States’ through improved access to and use of Earth Observation (EO) meteorological data, and weather services; Strengthening human capacities, knowledge and community shaping across the Early Warning value chain with a focus on space-based data and technologies; Strengthened coordination with institutional frameworks for hazardous weather and climate early warning and knowledge sharing across regions through the establishment and operationalization of the African Meteorological Satellite Application Facility (AMSAF); and Strengthened Impact-Based Forecasting capabilities and continental, regional and national levels.
