The government of Kenya has set up an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) in Machakos in a move meant to address issues of climate change. Principal Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Dr. Chris Kiptoo officiated the ceremony and said the AWS will also help increase agricultural productivity.
“KSCAP is one of the projects in the Ministry of Agriculture that addresses issues of climate change focusing on increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing resilience to impacts of climate change and reduction in GreenHouse Gases emissions,” said Dr. Kiptoo.
The station is among 154 others set up in 24 counties at a total cost of Sh500 million. It was sponsored by the World Bank through the Kenya Climate-Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP). Dr. Kiptoo pointed out that the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) plays a very crucial role in socio-economic development through its mandate of providing timely and accurate weather forecasts and advisories.
“Kenya Meteorological Department in the KCSAP project falls under component three which focuses on supporting agro-weather, market, climate and advisory services. Specifically under this component, KMD will help enhance agro-weather and climate information services, build core capacity for agro-weather observation and forecasting, develop long term ability to operate and maintain agro-weather and climate information services,” said Kiptoo.
Sustainable development challenges
He noted that Kenya’s economy as well as the health, security and prosperity of its people are impacted by weather and climate given that extreme events, such as droughts, severe storms or floods, can reverse development gains and erode livelihoods.
“Climate change is exacerbating sustainable development challenges by increasing the frequency and severity of extreme events. In order to manage climate risks, decision makers must understand the risks well and be able to anticipate them,” said Kiptoo.
The PS urged all stakeholders to ensure that they plan their various activities in line with the weather and climate forecasts, warnings, advisories and alerts from KMD.
Dr. Kiptoo noted that a well-functioning climate service has the potential to inform a range of both short and long term decisions contributing to the resilience of governments, organizations, and individuals to current climate variability. He further pledged that the Ministry would put in place an elaborate maintenance strategy to ensure sustainability of the equipment.
National KMD Director Dr. David Gikungu said KMD did mapping of existing publicly and privately operated AWS, held consultative workshops with the private owners in addition to identifying sites for the installation of the stations and rain gauges across the country. He also revealed that KMD is in the process of enhancing its early warning system, an activity to be undertaken in this financial year under the KCSAP project.
“I wish to assure that KMD will try its level best to put a sustainable plan in place so that this equipment continues benefiting our country through the climate and weather products generated from the AWS data,” he added.
The 154 AWS Comprise 120 synoptic (like the one set up in Machakos), 17 agromet and 17 hydromet stations. Data from these stations is relayed to the downscaling computers in the county Directors of meteorology offices in the project counties and KMD headquarters in Nairobi. The County Directors of meteorology are able to use these data to analyse and downscale the weather forecasts to their counties up to the ward level.
The project is implemented by GoK through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and implementing partners Kenya Meteorological department and the Kenya Agricultural and Research Organization.
 in Machakos in a move meant to address issues of climate change. P){kind=link}