Speaker: Tufa Dinku, Research Scientist, International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), Columbia University
The use of climate data in Africa has been limited due to scarce, unevenly distributed, and declining weather stations. Most stations are near major roads, restricting data access and coverage. To address this, the Enhancing National Climate Services (ENACTS) initiative by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) at Columbia University collaborates with African National Meteorological Services. ENACTS improves the quality, coverage, and length of climate data timeseries by blending local observations with global satellite rainfall estimates and climate model reanalysis products, making climate information more accessible and useful for research and practical applications across the continent.