Africa needs climate data tailored to local needs
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Across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, and South Africa, people involved in nature-based projects are increasingly relying on climate information from governments, funders, and researchers.
Researchers interviewed 530 people participating in these projects, including farmers, NGO workers, and government officials, to understand how well existing climate services meet their needs. They discovered that while people value climate information like rainfall forecasts and heatwave warnings delivered via mobile phones, websites, and radio, they want improvements to these services and new, community-specific information.
Many respondents reported that current climate services fail to incorporate local and Indigenous knowledge, such as traditional weather forecasting practiced by community elders and seers. Over 80% of people surveyed identified limitations in existing services, often due to difficult access or delayed delivery of information. More than 60% also felt climate-change literacy needed improvement, including understanding available services and interpreting climate data.
The people interviewed stressed the need for climate information linked to local conditions, like soil moisture and river flow, and relevant to their livelihoods, such as how rainfall impacts grazing land or livestock health. They requested information tailored to their specific communities, delivered through trusted channels like community radio and mobile messaging.
Researchers found that successful climate services require ongoing collaboration between scientists, local knowledge holders, and information providers, with funding dedicated to this collaboration as well as the final products.
