AFRICA
Introduction
The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (GCRF African-SWIFT) is one of the major research projects in Africa at sub-seasonal to seasonal time scales. The African SWIFT program brings together UK partners and national, regional and continental operational forecasting centers and public universities in Africa to build research capabilities and improve tropical weather forecasting from hourly to seasonal time scales in Africa. In resent years, the African SWIFT, WISER Support to ICPAC Project, Towards Forecast-based Preparedness Action (ForPAc), and other projects have collaborated with S2S Real Time Pilot Initiative to improve understanding of the underpinning climate science, develop user-oriented applications, and enhance availability and use of tailored S2S products and advisories.
Information on regional workshops
The Sixtieth Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 60) for the March to May (MAM) 2022 season will be held on 17 February 2022. The forum will be preceded by a PreCOF workshop (7-11 February 2022) where climate scientists from ICPAC Member States will review and develop national, subregional, and regional objective seasonal predictions for MAM 2022. A number of co-production workshops in key sectors including, Agriculture, Water, Energy, Health, Livestock, Conflict, and Disaster Risk Management will be held during 15-16 February 2022. Details will be updated at GHACOF 60
Objective Climate Forecasts for Agriculture and Food Security Sector in Eastern and Southern Africa and AICCRA Regional Training for East and Southern Africa
Institutions/Projects in the region working on S2S
ICPAC is one of the implementing partners in the GCRF African-SWIFT: The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) is a WMO accredited Regional Climate Centre that provides climate services over Eastern Africa region. The centre is one of the implementing partners in the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (GCRF African-SWIFT).
GCRF African SWIFT: The GCRF African-SWIFT is a coordinated programme of research from 2017 to 2022. It brings together 5 UK partners and 10 African partners (national, regional and continental operational forecasting centres and public universities) to build research capabilities and improve tropical weather forecasting from hourly to seasonal time scales in Africa. The programme is funded by Research Councils UK through the UK Global Challenges Research Fund and led by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS).
WISER Phase 2 Support to ICPAC (W2SIP): Focus was on increasing the use of co-produced reliable weather and climate services to inform decision making; and development of an objective seasonal forecast system for the region (https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/what/working-with-other-organisations/international/projects/wiser/icpac-support).
Towards Forecast based Preparedness Action (ForPAc): aims to improve the forecasting of droughts and floods, and improve the use of forecasts by integrating them into operational Early Warning Systems (EWS) and preparedness mechanisms using a systematic anticipatory approach of Forecast based Action (FbA) to promote pre-event interventions that lessen the need for and scale of post-event responses to disasters (http://www.shear.org.uk/research/ForPAc.html).
Key regionally-relevant S2S research questions & activities being pursued in the region
1. Improved support in decision making over Eastern Africa through utilizing of real time S2S datasets