Climate Change Adaptation and ICT (CHAI)

Edith Ofwona AderaSenior Program Specialist

Climate Change and Water Program,International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

This work is carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.

The role of ICT in tackling climate change issues in

Africa

Africa most vulnerable continent to climate change & variability (IPCC, 2007)

CC&V threatening Uganda’s ecosystems and livelihood(NAPA 2007)

CC&V increasing frequency and intensity of severe weather events

Uganda ranks among the lowest 20 water-poor countries

Imperative to adapt to climate related water impacts

Background and Problem

DEVELOPMENTTo strengthen the adaptive capacity of “cattle corridor” communities in Uganda to climate induced water stress and hazards through the use of ICTs

RESEARCHTo determine the role and potential of ICTs in enhancing the adaptive capacity of communities in Uganda to cope with water challenges.

Objectives

Climate Change Adaptation and ICT Project

CHAI Pilot

Districts

Research Questions

1. What are the major water-related vulnerabilities in the cattle corridor?

2. What are the impacts of the water-related hazards in the cattle corridor?

Research Design… Research Questions

3. What are the information and communication needs of communities?

4. How accurate, timely and relevant are the existing mechanisms for sharing climate-related information at community and government levels?

Exposure to Hazards

• Hazards• Physiograp

hic properties

• Perceptions on exposure to climatic hazards

Adaptive Capacity

• Access to water

• Livelihood and income diversity

• Perceived susceptibility

• Access and use of climate info

• Current Adaptation responses

• Support inst.

Technology- Infrastructure• Cellular

network• FM radio• Electricity

Technology- Access

• Radio• Phones• TV or

other technology

Research Design: Household Baseline Survey (640 HH)

Exposure to Hazards

• Major hazards

• Temporal variation of hazards

• What is exposed?

• Who is most exposed?

Adaptive Capacity

• Water sources

• Access to water

• Actions during water stress

• Access and use of climate info

• Support inst.

Current responses

• Indigenous practices

• Coping and recovery mechanisms

• Factors affecting coping mechanism

Adaptation info needs

• Info needs of communities and support orgs.

• Trusted sources of information

• Preferred communication options

Research Design: Focus Group Discussion (15 FGDs) and In-Depth Interview (34 KII)

Research Design: Geographic Information System – Vulnerability Mapping

Design and Operation of the Climate Information System

Data Collection and

Reporting

• Collected using mobile devices• Transmitted to server over cellular network• Automatically aggregated at sub-county level on a

server

Livestock and crop market

info

• Collected using mobile devices on a daily basis• Transmitted to server at Meteorology (daily)• Used for generating and improving seasonal forecasts

Weather data

• Satellite imagery, river flows, historical rainfall data, digital elevation model, etc.

• Generate exposure maps, rainfall and temperature projections, drought and flood scenarios (using GIS)

Other spatial data sets

Adaptation Info

Mobile phones

FM Radio

Email

Interactive voice

Print

Weather info

Drought and flood coping

Water harvesting

Market info

Prevention of Diseases, termites

Information Disseminati

on

Design and Operation of the Climate Information System

Short messages for SMS broadcasting

IVR recordings

Regular radio broadcasts

In languages preferred by users

Drought

Shift in seasons

Floods Climate related diseases

Heavy rainLand slidesBush fire

Research Results: Exposure to Hazards

Research Results: Standardized Precipitation Index

Research Results: Vulnerability Rating - Nakasongola

Water shortage

Loss of crop and livestock

Diminished livelihood

Migration

Conflict

Asset damage

Diseases

Distressed sale of assets

Deforestation

Termites

Research Results: Impacts

Climate awareness

Water harvesting

Localized weather info

Drought Early Warning

Flood Early Warning

Livestock and crop market

info

Termite control

Research Results: Summary of Adaptation Information Needs

Current Use of the System

Information disseminated

to communities using multiple

channels

Climate awareness info generated by

the Climate Change Unit, localized at

districts

Seasonal forecasts generated by meteorology

Advisories to farmers based on seasonal forecast by districts (e.g. early maturing crops, where to get

seeds, etc) Weekly market information at sub-

county level

Low cost water harvesting including

where to get support, disease prevention, etc. generated and

localized at districts

Next Steps

• Refine temperature and rainfall projections based on Regional Circulation Models

•Assess efficacy of information system and make improvements

•Gather impact data (mid-line and end-line), analyze and report

•Continue building the capacity of partners

Entering Climate Data into Mobile Phone

Confirming receipt of weather data

Market data collection

Market data collection: sample screenshots

Informed decision: what and when to sell

Adaptive capacities strengthened: Examples•High quality seasonal forecasts help vulnerable farmers make informed choices about the management of their livestock and crops.

•Information on coping with droughts such as advising farmers to plant early maturing crops, where to get support and other advise helps them cope with the impacts of climate change/variability.

•In times of stress, such as prolonged droughts, one of the coping mechanisms of pastoralists is selling their livestock. Weekly market information disseminated by the project helps them make informed decisions about what and where to sell avoiding the possible loss of their assets to middlemen.

•Information on prevention of climate-related diseases and termite infestation minimizes the loss of human and animals.

•Information on low-cost water harvesting techniques helps communities cope with water stress

Challenges

•Coordination of the activities of multiple partners

•Lack of localized adaptation information/content

•Units of measurement at market places not standardized and vary from one district to the other

•High cost of radio broadcasts

•Lack of high quality historical weather data

Implementing Partners

Uganda Ministry of Water and Environment:• Climate Change Unit• Meteorology Department• Wetlands Management• Water Resources Directorate

FHI 360, TechLab

Uganda Chartered HealthNet (UCH)

Makerere University:• College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences• Biological sciences Department• College of Health Sciences

THANK YOU!