Private sector engagement in climate information services in Africa

Abstract

Private sector engagement in the provision of climate information services (CIS) in Africa will contribute to the efficiency of those services if the enabling environment is provided for their operations. Climate information services involve the acquisition, processing and packaging of weather and climate variables and their delivery to a range of users at different levels to support climate-resilient development and inform climate-related policymaking and decision-making. In Africa, the provision of such services has been the responsibility of governments through national meteorological and hydrological services. African governments have not, however, demonstrated the political will necessary to empower those services to operate effectively, although there is widespread recognition of the importance of weather and climate information. This report outlines a business model based on the success stories of these actors to encourage the engagement of the private sector. The recommendations include: putting in place a comprehensive policy and legal framework on the involvement of private actors in the provision of climate information services; and upgrading the current infrastructure, equipment and software of national meteorological and hydrological services to state-of-the-art systems to meet private sector demand for high quality, high resolution data. Strategic and operational recommendations are made for the national and regional levels to improve the engagement of the private sector in the provision of climate information services in Africa.