Is scientific climate information service adequate and reliable in reducing
vulnerability to climate change? This is a question that has been posed by
communities in Arid and Semi Arid lands of Kenyan (ASALs), who acknowledged
that they still continue using indigenous knowledge to monitor weather patterns.
The communities in ASALs have conceded that due to weather changes and change
in seasons, the indigenous methods are becoming less reliable and thus the need
for alternative methods to disseminate climate information.
In a bid to ensure that “Africa can feed Africa now: translating
Climate Knowledge into action”, organizations are devising ways of working with
communities in disseminating climate information to end-users. A case scenario
in Kenya is the Kenya Meteorological Services (KMS) working together with partners
under the Adaptation Consortium in developing user-driven Climate Information
Service (CIS) to better support planning across county governments in Kenya as
well as those whose lives and livelihoods are directly impacted by weather and
climate.
The new service provides information about the weather and climate
together with useful advice on actions to take in dealing with possible
impacts. During the plenary panel discussion session on “climate data,
information and knowledge for agricultural production, water resources
management and food security, Fetene Teshome noted the importance of
mainstreaming climate information into decision making. The statement was echoed
by Anne Kitheka a farmer in Kitui who noted that“getting reliable timely
information will be beneficialin planning her farm and what to plant”, she
said.
“Climate change is with us and we cannot run away from
it. The only way we can survive through it is by adapting and we can only adapt
with information about climate,” said Ayub Shaka, Assistant Director Kenya
Meteorological Services.
The county climate information will be disseminated
through local and regional radio, short messages services and secondary
intermediaries who are respected, influential individuals in their counties of
implementation. The intermediaries will ensure seasonal, monthly, weekly and
daily forecasts and weather warnings support farming and livestock activities
is being disseminated.
Drawn from across the County
Government Administration and the Ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and
Cooperation, as well as religious and community leaders and NGOs, the process
aims to establish a network of 1,500 intermediaries in each county and so
ensure one intermediary for every 500 people.
By Jane Kiiru
No comments:
Post a Comment