TITLE:
Best Practices and Lessons Learned in the Implementation of Global Framework for Climate Services—Adaptation Programme in Africa: Tanzania-Experience
AUTHORS:
Agnes Lawrence Kijazi, Ladislaus Benedict Chang’a, Wilbert Timiza Muruke, Mathew Masumbuko Ndaki, Mecklina Merchades Babyegeya, Sudi Yasini Kisama, Omari Hamisi Juma
KEYWORDS:
GFCS-APA, Climate Variability, Climate Change, Climate Services, Best Practices, Lessons Learned
JOURNAL NAME:
Atmospheric and Climate Sciences,
Vol.11 No.4,
October
29,
2021
ABSTRACT: This paper provides an analysis and a description of the best practices and
lessons learned in the implementation of the Global Framework for Climate Services Adaptation Program in Africa (GFCS-APA)
focusing on Tanzania country’s activities. GFCS-APA was the first multi-agency initiative implemented under the Global
Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) in two African countries, namely Tanzania and Malawi with
funding from the Royal Government of
Norway. In Tanzania, the programme was implemented in two phases from
the year 2014 to 2021 in the three pilot districts of Kondoa, Longido and
Kiteto located in Dodoma, Arusha and Manyara regions, respectively.
The overarching goal of the programme was to enable better
management of the risks caused by climate variability and change at all levels,
from end-users to policy level, through
development and incorporation of science-based climate information and prediction services into planning,
policy and practice. The programme focused on bridging the gap between
providers and users of climate information and products through
development of user-driven climate services for food security, health
and disaster risk reduction. This paper aimed to analyze lessons learned and best practices in the
course of the implementation of the GFCS-APA phase I and II in Tanzania. A qualitative
approach was employed to analyze the lessons learned and best practices, by
extracting them and exploring further on their contribution to the enhancement of climate services, as well as their
applicability and potentiality for scaling out in other regions within Tanzania, and in other countries. The results indicate the identified best practices and lessons learned
contributed significantly in enhancing
climate services, particularly in understanding, availability,
accessibility, utilization, ownership and sustainability of climate services
among users (farmers and pastoralists) of
various gender, as well as intermediaries and decision-makers. Results also indicate the lessons learned and
the documented best practices could
influence the effectiveness of climate
services in other areas, to address existing challenges in
access, uptake and sustainability of climate services. The best
practices and lessons learned could be considered for integration in the future
projects or operational activities in other regions within the country and other countries, particularly in the
developing world, including Sub-Saharan Africa.