Climate Exchange

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apacity

evelopment

communication. One example is from Mali in West

Africa. This project discusses the existing management

strategies for water and land resources and how they

have been weakened by ongoing climate change. The

author concludes that the situation leads to structural

poverty and difficulties in accessing necessary resources.

However, there is still hope based on some successful

examples in the Diorila region and the author recom-

mends further international cooperation on these issues.

Another example from the West African region discusses

the climate impact on surface water resource in the Niger

watershed in Burkina Faso. The project report highlights

the climate-related water stresses that affect the already

daunting hunger and poverty. The author recommends

large-scale studies to further understand the climate

impacts on surface water resources.

Two further examples come fromTanzania and Zambia.

The project work from Tanzania points out climate vari-

ability as a big challenge to farmers, particularly those

who solely depend on rainfall to grow their crops. For

various reasons there is widespread lack of use of weather

and climate information as well as predictions in farm

management. The author believes that the application of

climate forecasts can significantly improve the farmers’

decision-making and adaptation to the changing climate.

The example from Zambia discusses the need for commu-

nication networks for disseminating climate change

information and raising awareness in rural communi-

ties. The results show that rural communities are aware

that the climate is changing but they know little about

the causes. The project achieved the goal of disseminat-

ing climate change information in three communities and

raising awareness on climate change among them. This

in the end enabled the communities to identify climate

hazards affecting their area and coping strategies.

The examples given above are all from project works

accomplished by staff of NMHSs. They are encourag-

ing as they show that NMHS personnel are prepared to

The training programme is mainly based on lectures, exercises

and field visits. To cover the broad scope of objectives, external

international experts as well as staff from SMHI are used as lecturers.

The content is built up around the following blocks:

• The greenhouse effect and impacts of climate change

• Impacts on water resources and coastal zones

• Impacts on agriculture and forestry and the need for

preventive action

• Strategic planning to counteract the causes of climate change

• Community planning, vulnerable sectors, interdisciplinary

planning and cost-benefit analysis

• Strategic planning pertaining to potential positive consequences

of climate change

• Information, education and public participation.

One essential aspect of the programme is that it provides a forum

for discussions and exchange of experience between participants,

lecturers and specialists. Much of the time is dedicated to group

exercises, which helps bringing the individuals of different national-

ities and backgrounds closer together. The training programme ends

with a one-week follow-up seminar in one of the regions relevant

to the specific course. At these regional seminars the results of the

individual projects are presented and discussed, and there is also

input from regional organizations.

Long-term engagement

For six to eight months after their visit to Sweden, participants work

with their individual projects according to the plan elaborated during

their stay. A written report is produced and a presentation is prepared

for the regional seminar. In this work it is essential that the participants

are supported by superiors and colleagues in their home organization.

Ideally the project work should be in line with their ongoing work and

contribute to the development of knowledge and efforts to improve

methods and procedures. This demands long-term engagement by the

participants and commitments from their home organizations.

The programme started in 2007 and since then we have witnessed

a great variety of individual projects. The majority of the studies have

been oriented towards water resources, agriculture and education/

An excursion in Wadi Rum – close to Aqaba – during

the regional seminar in Jordan, May 2011

Image: Åsa Johnsen, SMHI

Participants during a lecture at SMHI in Sweden, March 2012

Image: Åsa Johnsen, SMHI