Tailored climate services to boost Southern Africa’s resilience
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is highly susceptible to climate variability, change and extremes, such as floods, droughts and landslides, which affect critical sectors such as water resources, agriculture and infrastructure. Many countries in the region lack the necessary data, infrastructure, technical expertise and institutional capacity to deliver high-quality climate services. Decision-making in climate adaptation often relies on outdated data and simplistic analyses, neglecting advancements in climate predictions. Furthermore, the effective application of climate services in Africa continues to be a significant hurdle, as limited awareness and poor coordination among climate scientists and stakeholders hinder the effective use of climate services in some SADC countries. The FOCUS-Africa(opens in new window) project was established to create sustainable, customised climate services for the SADC region, demonstrating the entire value chain from development to application. This involved specific industries through practical case studies, improving climate prediction and projection science, and evaluating the social and economic benefits of these services.
Transforming climate challenges into practical solutions
“We began by identifying the specific climate risks faced by different sectors and understanding the types of climate information users needed,” says Roberta Boscolo, FOCUS-Africa project coordinator. “Efforts were then directed at generating practical data products based on a deep understanding of the regions’ climate. New climate services and tools were developed and tested, tailored to the needs identified by users in the pilot studies.” Project members also assessed the socio-economic benefits of these services and planned strategies for their long-term sustainability. Building local expertise was a priority, with training and resources provided to strengthen regional climate service providers. Furthermore, strong engagement with stakeholders ensured that findings were widely shared and connections with users were strengthened. “Our efforts resulted in several practical outcomes, including an online platform for accessing climate forecasts in Tanzania and Malawi and climate-resilient crop varieties for farmers in Mozambique”, highlights Boscolo. Other achievements included a tool for determining optimal planting times in Mozambique, and a hydropower management tool for efficient energy generation in Tanzania. Researchers also delivered five-year climate outlooks for Tanzania and Malawi, climate projections for South Africa to support agricultural adaptation and a flexible tool for processing seasonal climate forecasts for use in various regions.
Driving climate resilience in Southern Africa
FOCUS-Africa set out to create meaningful impacts by supporting specific climate adaptation policies in African countries thanks to co-designed, tailored and thoroughly evaluated climate services. The project boosted scientific capacity in the region, contributing to global assessments, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, by developing innovative tools. “We strengthened adaptive capacity and resilience by encouraging the systematic use of advanced tools and verified climate services across key sectors,” notes Boscolo. By prioritising user-driven development, FOCUS-Africa ensured that end-user communities were better informed and connected, following the principles of the user interface platform of the Global Framework for Climate Services. Special attention was devoted to improving women’s access to climate services, addressing gender-specific needs in their design and dissemination. FOCUS-Africa has played a pivotal role in empowering Southern Africa to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change. “By prioritising collaboration, user-focused design and practical solutions, FOCUS-Africa has strengthened the region’s ability to adapt and build greater climate resilience. The tools, knowledge and partnerships it has developed will continue to support climate resilience and action in the region for years to come,” concludes Boscolo.
