By Modou Kanteh
The Meteorology Unit under the Department of Water Resources on Friday 30 August 2024, received Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) receiving PUMA and ClimSA Stations.
The ClimSA program, funded by the European Union, is implemented in the Regional Economic Communities and aims to improve the capacity of National Meteorological Services (NMS) in the Member States to develop and provide customized, timely, and science-based weather and climate information services for decision-making.
To achieve this, the AU Commission, with financial support from the European Union, has contracted the Swiss-bases company Tecnavia SA as a service provider to supply and install the meteorological infrastructure (PUMA stations) and the climate infrastructure (ClimSA stations) for the NMS, the Regional Climate Centres, and the Training Centres.
The supply and installation of the PUMA Stations are critical for National Meteorological Services in Africa to continue receiving Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) model data and weather satellite imagery with the new added functionalities for disaster risk reduction, food security and resilience-building, air quality monitoring, among others.
ClimSA Stations will support the production of customized climate information for climate-resilient development sectors such as agriculture and food security, disaster risk reduction, energy, health, infrastructure, and water, among others.
Speaking at the event held at the Banjul International Airport in Yundum, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources Mr. Buba Sanyang applauded the African Union and its partners for the support given to The Gambia. He said the support would go a long way in equipping the Meteorology unit of the country.
“Data is important because it helps in analysis,” the Permanent Secretary said.
PS Sanyang pointed out that the beauty of the project is that it involved all stakeholders who share data in the region.
The Permanent Secretary, therefore, appealed to the meteorology unit to ensure that the equipment is properly taken care of, so that even after the warranty they can continue to use the equipment without many problems
