Abstract:
Surface observations provide ground evidence of climate change to support the scientific
guidance paving the way to better adaptation and mitigation actions. The West African Science
Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) has designed a multistakeholder initiative to rescue the deteriorated near-surface weather, climate and hydrological
equipment of West African countries. The main goal for this multi-stakeholder framework was to
monitor the climate and collect long term and high-quality records of essential climate variables
in support of research, education, capacity building, and climate services provision. Proactive
and inclusive partnership initiatives were developed to jointly (re)design and (re)implement near
surface observatiories with the national meteorological and hydrological services or agencies
(NMHS/As) in West Africa. The co-production scheme used by this framework succeeded in
evaluating the existing observations networks, to modernizing sensors and field equipment, and
densifying the sites in order to improve the quality of data collection, transmission, archiving, processing and sharing policies. After more than four years of community-of-practice, the
existing regional basic hydroclimatic was increased/upgraded by 45% with automatic weather
observing systems while fifty automatic water level, ten water quality sensors, three mesoscale
research catchments, and several pilot sites to benefit countries’ services provision, research
infrastructure, education, and capacity building. Country-specific data sharing policies were
harmonized and signed to support data services delivery. This practice paper exposes the concepts, outcomes, challenges, lessons learned and the ways forward in setting-up the framework
and keeping it on working to leverage the co-production of data & information services for
better-informed decision-making in the field of sustainable development in West Africa.
