Strengthening Climate Information and Early Warning Systems in Burkina Faso

This project is fully in line with LDCF/SCCF focal area objective 2: Increase adaptive capacity to respond to the impacts of climate change, including variability, at local, national, regional and global level, and objective 3: Promote transfer and adoption of adaptation technology. It is specifically aligned with outcomes linked to these objectives including increased knowledge and understanding of climate variability and change-induced risks at country level and in targeted vulnerable areas, strengthened adaptive capacity to reduce risks to climate-induced economic losses, successful demonstration, deployment, and transfer of relevant adaptation technology in targeted areas and enhanced enabling environment to support adaptation related technology transfer.

The project outcomes are closely aligned and coordinated with efforts already underway within Burkina Faso to promote development which is resilient to climate change at the national and local levels. The project is focused on strengthening the capacity of national and sub-national entities to monitor climate change, generate reliable hydro-meteorological information (including forecasts) and to be able to combine this information with other environmental and socio-economic data to improve evidence-based decision-making for early warning and adaptation responses as well as planning. The proposed project will be implemented at the country level by the lead Ministry mandated to advance climate monitoring including management of climate data in full collaboration with other relevant line Ministries who rely on the information for planning purposes (Disaster Management, Agriculture, Water, Finance and Planning etc). 

The fundamental problem in many countries such as Burkina Faso is that a complete EWS, which generates knowledge of the risks (vulnerability & hazard), has capacity to monitor, analyze and forecast hazards, provides communication and dissemination of alerts and warnings, either does not exist or does not function as well as it ought to be relevant and useful for long-term planning, management and risk reduction activities. Reasons for this situation involve a lack of both hard and soft technologies and the capacity to utilise those technologies in an appropriate manner. This results in: i) a limited understanding of current and future risks; ii) limited monitoring and forecasting of climate-related hazards; iii) inappropriate communication and packaging of warnings; iv) restricted responses to impending disasters and v) constrained planning for slow-onset changes due to climate change that will require a transformational shift in economic development and risk reduction efforts. The infrastructure and technology on which to build these services is lacking in Burkina Faso e.g. hydrological stations for monitoring water levels, as well as automatic weather stations for monitoring drought conditions in agricultural zones.

Without investing in the capacity to generate information, especially the monitoring and forecasting of climate-related hazards, the EWS will never function as optimally as it could. The aim of this proposal is to strengthen the EWS of Burkina Faso, largely through improving national capabilities to generate and use climate information in the planning for and management of climate induced hazard risks. It will achieve this by implementing the transfer of appropriate technology, infrastructure and skills.

It is expected that as climate change unfolds the frequency and intensity of climate related shocks will change, therefore improving EWSs is one way to adapt to a changing climate. As an adaptive measure EWS also benefit the poorer segments of society, those who do not necessarily benefit from large protective infrastructure projects. Furthermore, improving the EWS also provides benefits for long term planning and helps NHMS and other institutions build capacity to service other needs e.g. for land-use and agricultural planning, hydro-electric power etc.

To allow Burkina Faso to better manage severe weather related disasters, food security and agricultural production, scarce and dwindling water resources and make their socioeconomic development process less vulnerable to climate-related risks it is essential to:

• enhance the capacity of hydro-meteorological services and networks for predicting climatic events and associated risks;
• develop a more effective, efficient and targeted delivery of climate information including early warnings;
• support improved and timely preparedness and response to forecast climate-related risks and vulnerabilities.

These objectives require developing robust weather and climate observation, forecasting, and monitoring infrastructure, which can be rapidly deployed, is relatively easy to maintain, and simple to use. Such a weather and climate monitoring system can provide countries with the capacity to develop: (i) an early warning system for severe weather; (ii) real-time weather and hydrological monitoring; (iii) weather forecasting capabilities (Numerical Weather Prediction); (iv) agro-meteorological information and services (including integrated crop and pest management); (v) applications related to building and management of infrastructure; (vi) land, air and maritime transport management; (vii) integrated water resources management; (viii) coastal zone and land management; and (ix) planning and policy making processes.