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First Forum on Seasonal Forecasting and its Application
to Early Warning Systems for Food Security in West Africa Abidjan,
Cote d’Ivoire, 4-8 may 1998
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RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
FORUM
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE "METEOROLOGICAL" SECTOR
The following recommendations were made:
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To put in place a unified climate forecast in each meteorological
service, for collecting information on climate forecasts and their adaptation
to the national and local level.
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Creation of Multi-disciplinary Work Groups (MWG) (where they
haven not already been formed), for interpretation and diffusion of climate
forecast information.
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Yearly continuation of the education action groups
conducted by ACMAD
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Coordination of actions for the education/specialization
conducted by African Universities, ACMAD, and international centers of
climate forecasting.
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Development of research on climate prediction for application
to different sectors (agriculture, water resources, health, etc.)
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Yearly continuation of funds from FIRMA (Fund to Encourage
Meteorological Research in Africa) from ACMAD.
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Creation of environmental, meteorological, hydrological,
agronomic, biological, etc. data bases at the national, regional, and continental
levels.
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Reinforcement of the observation network for collection and
processing of meteorological and hydrological data.
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Integration of climate aspects in programs by other partners
in development.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER SECTORS
Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing, and Food Security
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Make crop varieties, that are adapted to the forecasted rainfall
conditions, available to the farmers;
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Take measures to protect fields from floods;
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Promote research on climate forecasting focused on conserving
agricultural products;
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Establish collaborations in order to develop bio-models that
incorporate rain forecasts for the protection of crops and for yield prediction;
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Form an immunization plan for live-stock against diseases;
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Conduct consultations or foster other methods to put in place
permanent corridors for herd movements to eliminate conflicts between farmers
and herders;
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Foster an agro- pastoral integration for better management
of the nutritional elements of the soil and allow herders to exploit the
agricultural byproducts for forage;
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Encourage the improvement of forecasting methods developed
by ACMAD, in particular the method developed by Professor J. B. Otmotosho,
utilizing wind shear to forecast the beginning of the rainy season and
estimate quantities;
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Extend the forecasts from the Gulf of Guinea and adapt it
to the particular conditions of the zones;
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Encourage the actors in the rural development sector to use
meteorological forecasting products in the framework of their activities
to incorporate existing structures with the multi-disciplinary work groups,
or other similar organizations;
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That into consideration the meteorological and climatological
applications in the rural development sectors in the national action plans
to implement Agenda 21;
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Take necessary precautions for the evacuation of populations
in areas susceptible to flooding.
Environment, Health, Water Resources, Transport, and Infrastructure
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Put in place adequate programs for the prevention and
protection against bush fires.
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Implement National Action Plans for the Environment (Agenda
21).
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Encourage research on the principal disease of the sub region
in local Medical Universities.
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Foster remote sensing methods to monitor the dust transport
during the dry season.
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Implement programs of small reservoirs in order to make use
of run-off water.
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Enlarge the scale of necessary products for better protection
of water resources (adaptation of forecasts, intensity-duration-frequency
curves, rain deficit relations, climate aggression, precipitation data,
etc.).
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Encourage the use of remote sensing to estimate precipitation
(satellite and radar).
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Implicate the advantages of ACMAD in the HOMS program and
WMO for greater synergy in meteorological and hydrological services
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Ensure the diffusion of the seasonal forecast established
for 1998 rainy season in the national media as well as having it updated
by the national meteorological services and ACMAD.
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Facilitate the access to meteorological information in inaccessible
zones (for example by using the BayGen rural radio which does not require
batteries. ).
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Ensure the integration of hydrological and meteorological
data for ground, river, and sea transport sectors in the aid sector.
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