SHEAR Learning Event on Operationalization and Sustainability of Proto-type Forecast Products
Background Information
IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) has in the recent past received funding support from Department of International Development (DFID) under SHEAR programs to support various activities within the National Meteorological and Hydrological services (NMHS) of the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). These SHEAR programs have co-developed new forecast products across different time scales with different stakeholders in the GHA region.
Despite the effort of the individual projects to transfer knowledge and methodologies to African forecasters, this is usually limited to the personnel that is involved directly with the project hence not a lot of cross-learning and institutionalization. Furthermore, the high turn-over within NMHSs, leads to knowledge drain and new products never really get integrated into operations. It is against this background that ICPAC in partnership with Kenya Red-Cross Society (KRCS) and Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) is organizing learning events for stake-holders across NMHS and other stakeholders.
Event Rationale
The leaning event will involve sharing of new proto-type forecast products to stake-holders drawn from National Meteorological services, and other stake-holders drawn from Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG/FAO), IDDRSI (IGAD Drought Disaster Resilience Sustainability Initiative), Kenya National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), Kenya Redcross and other relevant stake-holders.
The learning event will employ a hybrid approach where few attends physically and most of participants participate virtually. The feedback/comments from the event will be synthesized in a report to form part of reference document for meteorological service operations
Objective
- Showcase to the Met services the opportunities for improved forecast products
- Highlight how co-production has been central to developing decision-relevant information for a range of stakeholders
- Discuss the challenges to operationalizing it at country levels
Outcome
- Enhanced visibility of Proto-type products and how they can be useful for operationalization
- A harmonized reference document bringing together all the new products, and methodologies from the projects.
- A clear roadmap on way-forward for Sustainability/operationalization of proto-type products
