Integrating Hydro-Climate Science into Policy Decisions for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Livelihoods in East Africa (HyCRISTAL)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Reading
Department Name: Meteorology
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
HyCRISTAL will have a positive impact on 7 groups of beneficiaries through the process and research outcomes.
1) COMMUNITIES IN THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN
Communities will have the opportunity to access, input to, and benefit via their livelihoods from the research. Development options and pathways for climate-smart fisheries/agriculture, sustainable water use, access & distribution, will enhance productive and WASH outcomes in the region with such measurable livelihood improvements as greater levels of savings or tradeable assets. At least 400 households will participate in the adaptation trials. Wider engagement will occur via community exchanges, district workshops and regional learning platforms.
2) WATER PLANNERS/MANAGERS IN GOVERNMENT & POLICY
Close links with resource planners and government policymakers (East African Community, Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Uganda National Water and Sewerage Co, Local Authorities) will facilitate the 2-way flow of information, tools & guidance needed to support livelihoods & water management. Training will be tailored to user needs and through inclusive participation, empower women & youth to co-design and better apply planning tools. These stakeholders will act as researcher-advocates and contribute to policy uptake via "fit-for-purpose" evidence of the pilot outcomes. Value-added impact of such interventions on the local economy & livelihoods will result from investments to Treasury & donors. Local/sub-national governments in the region now have devolved responsibilities for climate services and will also benefit from improved evidence of benefits.
3) INTERNATIONAL & BILATERAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
These will benefit from robust quantitative & qualitative evidence to inform programmes of support to national innovation support systems (including advisory services, SME promotion, regulatory frameworks). USAID & EU, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, WFP, WHO and others are active in this region and will be invited to participate in the high-level Learning Platforms.
4) NGOs
Close collaboration with international (Practical Action) & local NGOs (Rural Environment & Development Organisation, OSIENALA, Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern & Southern Africa) will inform their livelihood and WASH programs development and provide evidence of their own interventions and modes of working with pilot communities.
5) CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs) & MEDIA
CSOs, national/sub-national farmer/fisher & urban organizations will benefit from evidence supporting lobbying for improved water services and climate-smart fisheries/agriculture management. Some CSOs already provide innovation support services (Uganda National Farmers Federation) and will be able to use the project findings to enhance such service provision. Engagement with CSOs & the media (local FM stations) will raise awareness of the research process and outcomes (planning information & decision tools). Wider coverage of the research & analytical methods will help to showcase benefits & attract future investment, stimulating collaborations beyond HyCRISTAL
6) RESEARCH INSTITUTES & MET SERVICES
HyCRISTAL will work with weather forecasters, hydrologists, hydrogeologists & users of medium-long-range forecasts, through project partnerships. These partners benefit via access to improved climate risk information and by strengthening utility of their climate services at regional-to-community levels.
7) PRIVATE SECTOR
African companies (Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company) will benefit from exposure to the knowledge products helping to inform their future business plans. Communities across the region will indirectly benefit from improved innovation support policies and interventions that are evidence based and tuned to the ways in which they seek support in their innovation & livelihood decision-making resulting in increased household capacity to invest in new livelihood options as current ones become unsusustainable
1) COMMUNITIES IN THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN
Communities will have the opportunity to access, input to, and benefit via their livelihoods from the research. Development options and pathways for climate-smart fisheries/agriculture, sustainable water use, access & distribution, will enhance productive and WASH outcomes in the region with such measurable livelihood improvements as greater levels of savings or tradeable assets. At least 400 households will participate in the adaptation trials. Wider engagement will occur via community exchanges, district workshops and regional learning platforms.
2) WATER PLANNERS/MANAGERS IN GOVERNMENT & POLICY
Close links with resource planners and government policymakers (East African Community, Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Uganda National Water and Sewerage Co, Local Authorities) will facilitate the 2-way flow of information, tools & guidance needed to support livelihoods & water management. Training will be tailored to user needs and through inclusive participation, empower women & youth to co-design and better apply planning tools. These stakeholders will act as researcher-advocates and contribute to policy uptake via "fit-for-purpose" evidence of the pilot outcomes. Value-added impact of such interventions on the local economy & livelihoods will result from investments to Treasury & donors. Local/sub-national governments in the region now have devolved responsibilities for climate services and will also benefit from improved evidence of benefits.
3) INTERNATIONAL & BILATERAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
These will benefit from robust quantitative & qualitative evidence to inform programmes of support to national innovation support systems (including advisory services, SME promotion, regulatory frameworks). USAID & EU, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, WFP, WHO and others are active in this region and will be invited to participate in the high-level Learning Platforms.
4) NGOs
Close collaboration with international (Practical Action) & local NGOs (Rural Environment & Development Organisation, OSIENALA, Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern & Southern Africa) will inform their livelihood and WASH programs development and provide evidence of their own interventions and modes of working with pilot communities.
5) CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs) & MEDIA
CSOs, national/sub-national farmer/fisher & urban organizations will benefit from evidence supporting lobbying for improved water services and climate-smart fisheries/agriculture management. Some CSOs already provide innovation support services (Uganda National Farmers Federation) and will be able to use the project findings to enhance such service provision. Engagement with CSOs & the media (local FM stations) will raise awareness of the research process and outcomes (planning information & decision tools). Wider coverage of the research & analytical methods will help to showcase benefits & attract future investment, stimulating collaborations beyond HyCRISTAL
6) RESEARCH INSTITUTES & MET SERVICES
HyCRISTAL will work with weather forecasters, hydrologists, hydrogeologists & users of medium-long-range forecasts, through project partnerships. These partners benefit via access to improved climate risk information and by strengthening utility of their climate services at regional-to-community levels.
7) PRIVATE SECTOR
African companies (Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company) will benefit from exposure to the knowledge products helping to inform their future business plans. Communities across the region will indirectly benefit from improved innovation support policies and interventions that are evidence based and tuned to the ways in which they seek support in their innovation & livelihood decision-making resulting in increased household capacity to invest in new livelihood options as current ones become unsusustainable
Publications
Maidment R
(2015)
Recent observed and simulated changes in precipitation over Africa
in Geophysical Research Letters
Dunning C
(2018)
Later Wet Seasons with More Intense Rainfall over Africa under Future Climate Change
in Journal of Climate
Sarojini B
(2016)
Detection and attribution of human influence on regional precipitation
in Nature Climate Change
Jones L
(2017)
Designing the next generation of climate adaptation research for development
in Regional Environmental Change
Black E
(2016)
The Use of Remotely Sensed Rainfall for Managing Drought Risk: A Case Study of Weather Index Insurance in Zambia
in Remote Sensing
Wainwright C
(2020)
Extreme rainfall in East Africa, October 2019-January 2020 and context under future climate change
in Weather
Cornforth R. J.
(2018)
The Integrated Database for African Policymakers
Cornforth R
(2021)
Climate Risk in Africa - Adaptation and Resilience
| Title | HyCRISTAL film |
| Description | Summary of HyCRISTAL project for general public |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | Showcased at COP23 and at the Walker Big Event |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/news-events/walker-institute-and-evidence-for-development-in-uganda/ |
| Title | Ugandan designed tees for "Rural Climate Champions" |
| Description | Ugandan designed tees for the "Rural Climate Champions" to support their advocacy work in the communities and with Mukono District Local Councils |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Impact | Raising the awareness of district government officials and community champions of utility of the Integrated Database for African Policymakers (IDAPS) to support the integration of Use Cases from Mukono as part of short term interventions and longer term planning (investments options) for climate change at the district level. |
| Description | 1) Co-development for adoption of an integrated data platform by relevant planning and decision-making organisations. 2) Supporting local decision-making which explicitly takes HyCRISTAL climate data into account. 3) Ensuring the experience is shared locally in developing an inclusive, stakeholder-driven process of local adaptation prioritisation and planning. 4) Supported the inclusion of long-term planning guidance based on HyCRISTAL research in policy documents at the sub-national, national, and regional levels e.g. National Environment bill as well as directly impacting on extension policy at a district level to In Uganda and especially in the Mukono District Local Government. Here our work has broouht together policy-makers and smallholder farmer champions to discuss and support policy and budget response to smallholder farmers in the face of climate change. This interaction has always advocated for increased access to qualitative and quantitative agricultural extension services for smallholder farmers in the face of climate change. More informed decision making has been taken in the communities and at district level through extension workers and the HyCRISTAL champion farmers with the promotion of most important crops such as root tubers, i.e sweet potatoes, cassava and yams for household food and livelihood security in Mukono and Mityana districts. The Mukono District local budget is showing signs of response towards financing and supporting climate needs of smallholder farmers with increased funding for targeted agriculture extension services from 1,296,128,000 Uganda Shillings to 1,524,726,000 Uganda Shillings in the Financial Year 2019/2020. HyCRISTAL smallholder champion farmers have reported increased access to extension services in their communities in the last financial year. |
| Exploitation Route | Successful rural adaptation to climate change and other drivers such as population increase, requires scientists, social scientists, policy and decison makers to work together, to share information and practice. This will reduce the vulnerability of rural communities, leading to timely, evidence-based interventions, and promoting sustainable development. Providing access to local data and the skills required for interpretation is a key part of this. Also, it is increasingly recognised that short and long-term decisions on adaptation cannot be made in isolation of each other. In the rural work in HyCRISTAL, both long-term climate predictions provided through HyCRISTAL climate modelling, and reliable context-specific information provided through a rich suite of social science methods, will enable policy and decision makers to make informed short-term decisions (covering 1-3 years, such as programmes to mitigate extreme events) as well as long-term decisions (covering 5-40 years, such as the provision of major infrastructure such as roads, irrigation schemes and institution-based training programmes) on adaptation. Our research is providing a rich suite of data and methods through learning platforms, policy engagement and workshops - such as HEA, IHM, RAINWATCH (www.rainwatch-africa.org) and institutional analysis - to provide the tools for building an evidence-based pathway to adaptation at the district/county level. As HyCRISTAL's climate modelling projections become available, they will intersect with the data on adaptations and the growing knowledge of decision-making processes. Our approach emphasises the point that robust decision-making in the future requires reliable and up-to-date integrated data, even after HyCRISTAL support ends. We are currently working with the Ugandan Parliament and the National Disaster Management Agency to support policy making around climate change interventions and impact-focused flood management through the integration of climate and livelihoods information and the ability to monitor this (new projects - SHEAR NIMFRU). We have also secured funding for further exploration of the limits to adaptation and under-researched tropical crops to develop a crop model for sweet potato (HyCRISTAL Extension; GCRF Sweet Potato Catalyst Grant). We have also looked at the role of informal extension in supporting climate adaptation interventions and the potential limits to adaptation discussed in a chapter in a Palgrave-Macmillan book entitled "Africa Climate Risk". |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Environment,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/projects/hycristal-integrating-hydro-climate-science-into-policy-decisions-for-climate-resilient-infrastructure-and-livelihoods-in-east-africa/ |
| Description | HyCRISTAL is developing pathways for new climate research to support the resilience of rural communities vulnerable to climate change, with an emphasis on the sectors of agriculture and fishing, and in the context of other drivers of change such as shifts in land-use and population growth. Researchers employ methods such as the Household Economic Approach (HEA), the Individual Household Method (IHM), and ethnographic methods to understand current livelihood patterns and factors limiting peoples' ability to adapt their sources of livelihood. Other activities include market systems and value-chain analysis; working with hydrologists, geologists and crop scientists to understand community-level adaptation potential; and working with Kenyan and Ugandan social scientists to interpret community adaptation capabilities and policy implications. Meanwhile, Knowledge Exchanges and Learning Alliances will be piloted to open channels for evidence-based decision-making in the context of rural livelihoods adaptations. These pilot fora will be hosted in two different locations and will serve as sharing platforms for the users of HyCRISTAL research. The pilot locations, Mukono in Uganda and Homa Bay in Kenya, capture two different Lake Victoria Basin national governance and policy regimes. The HyCRISTAL Learning Alliances will also support project partners in the development of an Integrated Database for African Policymakers (IDAPS). IDAPS is a platform that is being developed to provide users with a rich and integrated data resource that will span climate, crops, fisheries, hydrology, and livelihoods. Interpreting and analysing this data will assist policymakers to understand and respond to the effects of climate and other significant changes in the Lake Victoria Basin. An IDAPS user forum was recently hosted by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST). Key attendees included four Members of Parliament, including Hon Cecilia Atim Ogwal (Deputy Speaker) and the leader of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change; the Assistant Commissioner, Ugandan Ministry for Water and Environment (MWE); Deputy Executive Secretary of UNCST; a senior representative from Uganda's National Emergency Coordination and Operations Centre; representatives of civil society climate change advocacy groups; and, senior district level technical officers. Furthermore, HyCRISTAL hydrologists are also working with MWE to support integrated water resource management within the Victoria Water Management Zone (WMZ). MWE are currently undertaking a consultation process with stakeholders to assess and understand water needs and stresses in this WMZ. HyCRISTAL hydrological modelling of current and possible future water resources will inform this process. Recent policy work has included an invitation and insertion of six clauses into the Ugandan National Environment Bill (Feb 2018). See http://www.walker.ac.uk/news-events/walker-institute-team-contributes-to-ugandan-national-environment-bill/; and provision of a Briefing Paper provided to the Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament entitled "UGANDA - Synthesising Evidence for Targeted National Responses to Climate Change" (March 2018). See |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | 2016 HyCRSITAL Communities / Practitioners / Researchers Training |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Extending a vital community of practice with expertise in livelihoods modelling and relevant data collection. Support for the development of a livelihoods repository to mointor changing trends in livelihoods |
| Description | Developed and delivered two "ALiVE" courses to devolve capability to track the impacts of climate change of livelihoods in Uganda and Kenya |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| URL | https://walker.ac.uk/about-walker/news-events/livelihoods-analysis-course-successfully-completed-by-... |
| Description | HyCRISTAL Farmer Champions consulted with the National Planning Authority in Uganda |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Influencing the Ugandan Climate Change Act |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Uganda - Synthesising Evidence for Targeted National Responses to Climate Change |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/media/1370/hycristal-policy-brief_synthesising-evidence-for-targeted-nationa... |
| Description | Ugandan National Environment Bill |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/news-events/walker-institute-team-contributes-to-ugandan-national-environmen... |
| Description | NATIONAL-SCALE IMPACT-BASED FORECASTING OF FLOOD RISK IN UGANDA (NIMFRU) |
| Amount | £249,556 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/S00596X/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2018 |
| End | 02/2020 |
| Description | NERC International Development Innovation and Impact Awards |
| Amount | £50,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2017 |
| Title | Supplementary information files for Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places |
| Description | Supplementary information files for article Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places Global efforts to upgrade water, drainage, and sanitation services are hampered by hydrometeorological data-scarcity plus uncertainty about climate change. Intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) tables are used routinely to design water infrastructure so offer an entry point for adapting engineering standards. This paper begins with a novel procedure for guiding downscaling predictor variable selection for heavy rainfall simulation using media reports of pluvial flooding. We then present a three-step workflow to: (1) spatially downscale daily rainfall from grid-to-point resolutions; (2) temporally scale from daily series to sub-daily extreme rainfalls and; (3) test methods of temporal scaling of extreme rainfalls within Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations under changed climate conditions. Critically, we compare the methods of moments and of parameters for temporal scaling annual maximum series of daily rainfall into sub-daily extreme rainfalls, whilst accounting for rainfall intermittency. The methods are applied to Kampala, Uganda and Kisumu, Kenya using the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM), two RCM simulations covering East Africa (CP4 and P25), and in hybrid form (RCM-SDSM). We demonstrate that Gumbel parameters (and IDF tables) can be reliably scaled to durations of 3 h within observations and RCMs. Our hybrid RCM-SDSM scaling reduces errors in IDF estimates for the present climate when compared with direct RCM output. Credible parameter scaling relationships are also found within RCM simulations under changed climate conditions. We then discuss the practical aspects of applying such workflows to other city-regions. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Supplementary_information_files_for_Spatial_and_temp... |
| Title | Supplementary information files for Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places |
| Description | Supplementary information files for article Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places Global efforts to upgrade water, drainage, and sanitation services are hampered by hydrometeorological data-scarcity plus uncertainty about climate change. Intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) tables are used routinely to design water infrastructure so offer an entry point for adapting engineering standards. This paper begins with a novel procedure for guiding downscaling predictor variable selection for heavy rainfall simulation using media reports of pluvial flooding. We then present a three-step workflow to: (1) spatially downscale daily rainfall from grid-to-point resolutions; (2) temporally scale from daily series to sub-daily extreme rainfalls and; (3) test methods of temporal scaling of extreme rainfalls within Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations under changed climate conditions. Critically, we compare the methods of moments and of parameters for temporal scaling annual maximum series of daily rainfall into sub-daily extreme rainfalls, whilst accounting for rainfall intermittency. The methods are applied to Kampala, Uganda and Kisumu, Kenya using the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM), two RCM simulations covering East Africa (CP4 and P25), and in hybrid form (RCM-SDSM). We demonstrate that Gumbel parameters (and IDF tables) can be reliably scaled to durations of 3 h within observations and RCMs. Our hybrid RCM-SDSM scaling reduces errors in IDF estimates for the present climate when compared with direct RCM output. Credible parameter scaling relationships are also found within RCM simulations under changed climate conditions. We then discuss the practical aspects of applying such workflows to other city-regions. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Supplementary_information_files_for_Spatial_and_temp... |
| Description | AfClix - APPG Global Health |
| Organisation | Parliament of UK |
| Department | All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Reviews of documents Participation in meetings |
| Collaborator Contribution | Connections to African health partners in-country Citation of work in books e.g. for Sir Nigel Crisps, in prep [Chapter 7 - Health, food and the physical environment] - mentions AfClix and HyCRISTAL |
| Impact | Direct reference to the HyCRISTAL project in Chapter 7 of Lord Crisp's new book (in press) Three slides mentioning our joint collaboration by Lord Crisp at the December Global Health Event! Three proposals submitted involving ACHEST, an African health think-tank that I was introduced to by Lord Crisp |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Climate Action Network - Uganda (CAN-U) |
| Organisation | Climate Action Network Uganda |
| Country | Uganda |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We have retained CAN-U as a local partner in Uganda to support overall project strategies and goals in the Lake Victoria Basin through advocacy and communications work. They will be spearheading a campaign to engage with national and sub-national policymakers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | CAN-U will participate in all HyCRISTAL meetings and workshops (including the 2018 annual meeting in Kampala), and have access to HyCRISTAL's network of researchers and practitioners. |
| Impact | Contributions to the Ugandan National Environment Bill via the Climate Change Working Group in the form of proposed clauses and amendments to existing clauses. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Minister of Trade and Deputy Speaker, Ugandan Parliament |
| Organisation | Government of Northern Ireland |
| Department | Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMdFM) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Capacity development and technical support to current priorities of the ministries, outlined in the Vision 2040 Government Policy Strategy document |
| Collaborator Contribution | Understnading policy cycle and introductions to key ministerial personnel. Support and promotion of HyCRISTAL and other Walker projects in the region |
| Impact | New proposal submitted to DfiD and SPHEIR, in partnership with Minsitry for Science and Technology to build career-relevant interdisciplinary PGT courses supporting agribusiness, to help reduce emplyabnlity gap of Ugandan students. Deputy Speaker gave keynote Walker Institute Big Event (December 2016), promoting equitable research partnerships and climate resilience agaenda. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Uganda university |
| Organisation | Gulu University |
| Country | Uganda |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Higher level training in Houesehold economy field assessment and use of modellling software |
| Collaborator Contribution | Participation in data collection during the HEA / IHM Assessments in Uganda; provision of local contextual information on livelihoods and governance issues |
| Impact | Submission of SPHEIR proposal to DfID and British Council to develop new interdisciplinary PGT courses across 4 partner university network in Uganda |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Ugandan Parliament |
| Organisation | Parliament of Uganda |
| Country | Uganda |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Demand from the Ugandan Parliament for a Briefing paper and then provision of a Briefing Paper to the Deputy Speaker (March 2018) entitled: "UGANDA - Synthesising Evidence for Targeted National Responses to Climate Change". Summary follows - The rapidly changing climate conditions in Uganda are likely to cause increase of extreme weather events such as erratic rainfall pattern, floods, landslides, hailstorms, ice melting, heat and drought that may lead to a multitude of livelihoods disruptions. The Integrated Database for African Policymakers, (IDAPS), will integrate climate, crops, fisheries and hydrology information with livelihoods data so policy makers can examine the synthesised evidence and develop more appropriate national responses to climate change impacts, particularly among the most vulnerable populations in rural parts of Uganda. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Co-authoring of the Briefing Paper by another MP, Uganda Parliament. Contributions towards IDAPS from other members of the government include: Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST). Key attendees included four Members of Parliament, including the Deputy Speaker and the leader of the Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change; the Assistant Commissioner, Ugandan Ministry for Water and Environment (MWE); Deputy Executive Secretary of UNCST; a senior representative from Uganda's National Emergency Coordination and Operations Centre |
| Impact | Briefing Paper (2018), "UGANDA - Synthesising Evidence for Targeted National Responses to Climate Change". Insertion of clauses into the National Environment Bill on the necessity for livelihoods zoning to support adaptation interventions. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Title | Integrated Database for African Policymakers |
| Description | Despite significant investments in early warning systems, only limited progress has been made towards making communities safe (UN SDG Report, 2017). IDAPS is a technological initiative to provide long-term quantitative evidence for targeted investment in infrastructure and livelihoods that enable for early action and effective adaptation before the point of crisis has been reached. Scaling-up such targeted investments across African member states is a grand challenge due to the complexity of environmental, climatic and socioeconomic factors affecting climate risk, the multi-sectoral (health, environment, water, transport) impacts and the range of factors affecting interventions at community level. Understanding the specific vulnerabilities of communities at different seasons, and their exposure to different types of climate risk is key to improving physical and livelihood risk assessment, preparedness, communication and response. The Integrated Database for African Policy-makers (IDAPs; http://www.walker.ac.uk/projects/idaps-integrated-database-for- african-policy-makers/), arose from a review of data sources from Meteorology, Hydrology and Agronomics. And also of Livelihoods data, which indicates at community level how people live: what they grow, what they eat what they buy, what they sell. The dependencies between these different data sources make it clear that if we can connect the "hard sciences" data with the livelihoods data, we can better understand the impact of climate change on the real lives of people. The core of IDAPs data is the Livelihoods data that is the point where resilience of communities, in the face of climate change, can be measured. Livelihoods data in IDAPS is based on The Household Economy Approach (HEA)1. Around that core data IDAPs integrates data from other sources to provide policy makers and others with actionable insight into how climate change might be expected to affect vulnerable populations in their purview. IDAPS brings together a dedicated interdisciplinary multi-institutional team of internationally recognized: ? natural scientists ? social scientists ? and knowledge exchange experts, with an established track record of productive collaboration in Sub-Saharan Africa for research and development towards climate resilient livelihoods and infrastructure. It is jointly led by the Walker Institute and our embedded partners, Evidence for Development. HOW DOES IDAPS WORK? IDAPs is a cloud-based database. ? It can take data feeds from other databases and data sources. ? It can provide extracts to other databases. ? It provides an application for the collection of livelihoods data. ? It has pre-built analytics and analytic tooling for custom analysis. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Impact | IDAPS provides policy makers and others with actionable insight into how climate change might be expected to affect vulnerable populations in their purview. Whilst too early to link to direct impact, we expect to see this in 2020/21 as IDAPS is rolled out to provide government-led scenario planning in Uganda. It will also be linked into the RAINWATCH (www.rainwatch-africa.org) platform operating across 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to support National Adaptation Planning for different sectors. |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/research/projects/idaps-integrated-database-for-african-policy-makers/ |
| Description | Blog |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | To understand what kind of collaboration is needed for the beneficits of stakeholders etc. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Enhancing flood risk management - livelihoods impact |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Support for the integration of livelihoods information with the NECOC (Ugandan national disaster management agency) disaster management system building on livelihoods monitoring work evidenced through HyCRISTAL |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | FCFA 2017 Midterm Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Midterm conference for all of FCFA's five research consortia. There were plenary sessions, working group meetings, participatory sessions, side meetings, panel discussions, poster presentations and other engagement activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/news-events/cape-town-hosts-midterm-fcfa-conference/ |
| Description | HyCRISTAL 2016 Annual General Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Participatory workshop with stakeholders, co-organised by the African Centre for Technology Studies To present scientific results, including the new methodologies; engage stakeholders; and finalise 2017 / 2018 project plans |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.walker.ac.uk/ |
| Description | HyCRISTAL COP21: United Nations Conference on Climate Change |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Side event: Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) launch event Engagement with researchers, policy makers and development practitioners, climate scientists, user groups and other stakeholders Worldwide launch of FCFA programme including HyCRISTAL |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://futureclimateafrica.org/news/feature-fcfa-promises-climate-information-to-tackle-development-... |
| Description | HyCRISTAL HyVIC Meeting (Semazzi, Ogutu-Ohwayo) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | GEWEX International meeting to discuss planned research in Lake Victoria Basin HyVIC project was presented in more detail to the relevant national/regional government agencies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.gewexevents.org/wp-content/uploads/HyCRISTAL_Ogutu-Ohwayo.pdf |
| Description | IDAPs Stakeholders and Influencers Consultation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The goal of this meeting was to assemble key stakeholders and influencers whose input is vital in setting the direction that IDAPs (Integrated Database for African Policymakers) takes. IDAPs must match the needs and priorities of its stakeholders. This meeting started the process whereby the IDAPs developers could learn what is most important for its stakeholders and ensure their influence continues to be felt. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Interview about fieldwork conducted by HyCRISTAL Co-I |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | HyCRISTAL Co-Investigator Dr Andrew Ainslie was interviewed by professional science writer Leonie Joubert as part of a series that delves into the science that has been produced by various FCFA projects, and introduces some of the people behind it. This article was published fairly recently so outcomes or impacts that have arisen have not yet become fully known. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.futureclimateafrica.org/news/conflict-resolution-a-climate-adaptation-in-east-africa/ |
| Description | Interview about project activity for programme website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | HyCRISTAL postdoctoral researcher Grady Walker was interviewed by science write Leonie Joubert as part of a series that delves into the science that has been produced by various FCFA projects, and introduces some of the people behind it. People from DfID were interesting in this activity and its outcomes. They requested that Leonie Joubert write a follow-up piece once the activity is over. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.futureclimateafrica.org/news/filmmaking-to-support-agri-extension-in-uganda/ |
| Description | Measuring and Modelling Livelihoods in East Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | To show-case and share the work of Evidence for Development in the context of the FCFA project, HyCRISTAL, Emergence of a new interdisciplinary research programme linking climate change with crop modelling and livelihoods for the NERC / NCAS - Climate Community at the UoR |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Media production and action-research training for the HyCRISTAL farmer champions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Background Neoliberalization in Uganda resulted in the replacement of public sector agriculture extension with privately contracted service providers under the controversial NAADS program, which was itself dissolved after a decade. Farmers in Uganda today have little access to rural advisory services or avenues to communicate their needs and challenges to local leadership. The impacts of climate change and other disruptions are taking their toll on farmers. The link with local government needs to be rebuilt to ensure systematic and equitable adaptation to these changes. Project aims and objectives In order to engage members of the farming community in a knowledge exchange process with local government leaders in Mukono, Uganda, a participatory action-research (PAR) approach engaged Farmer Champions in creating video stories about adapting to climate change. The purpose of these videos was: 1) to be resources for other farmers to learn adaptation strategies, and 2) to be the foundation for initiating a dialogue with local government officials. Target audiences The target audience for the videos were neighbouring farmers, fisherfolk, and other community members who did not have access to rural advisory services. Local government officials were also targeted because the exchange was predicated upon a screening of the videos. Activities The Farmer Champions participated in a week-long video production training course before shooting two short films. Many had never used a camera. The films were entitled "Climate Challenges & Solutions at Farm Level: A Case of Farmers at Nakasuku Village" and "Climate Change Challenges and Possible Solutions in the Fisheries Sector". The Farmer Champions wrote, storyboarded, and shot the films. I supported them in the editing process. Both films were screened in the district government offices at an event facilitated entirely by the Farmer Champions. How successful the project was and how I measured that success I measured the success of the project by evaluating the extent to which the project met the goals of developing videos that could be shared horizontally and of facilitating an exchange with local government officials. Over 20 people attended the exchange, including the district Principal Administrative Secretary, the Director of Natural Resources and Environment, and district Secretary for Production. A communication link between the Farmer Champions and the district leadership was established, with commitments from the latter to continue engagement and provide resources for producing more videos. The Farmer Champions currently share their videos extensively via WhatsApp with other farmers in Mukono, and they have recorded more films. The Farmer Champions also held a successful meeting with officials of the National Planning Authority to highlight the needs of smallholder farmers in the context of climate change. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://futureclimateafrica.org/news/creating-a-two-way-dialogue-for-improved-advocacy-and-communica... |
| Description | PCCCB-Capacity building Hub at COP 24 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | HyCRISTAL team member Miriam Talwisa attended a side event on Climate smart agriculture. She explored climate smart plans as a systems approach to participatory and quantitative analysis for robust decision making. Sh assessed implications of climate change on country goals across agricultural productivity, food security, resilience and mitigation. With participants she identified robust climate smart investments and policy opportunities and their impact on nationally relevant variables in line with NDC financing, and explored avenues for translating CSA opportunities into bankable investment with roles for private, public sector and climate finance. She shared CAN-U's HYCRISTAL and IDAPS experience in Mukono, Uganda and attracted interest for collaboration from the Global Eco-Village Network |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Participation in the Uganda CSO country coordinating meeting at COP24 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This was the meeting of the Uganda country coordinating meeting at UNFCCC COP24. HyCRISTAL team member Miriam Talwisa met the Principal secretary of the Ministry of Water and Environment to follow up on the issues detailed in the CS position for COP and to discuss timelines for joint engagement at the next COP and the subsequent local actions after COP24. They agreed on timelines and set up appointments to meet. This is one way of engaging to strategise and set pace for future MWE -HyCRISTAL engagement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Rural Narrative Factsheet for Livelihoods Scenario Planning |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Development of a rural narrative 'factsheet' together with the UK Met Office to assist with scenario planning in Uganda. The product was tested at the regional climate outlook forum with inputs from around 30 stakeholders in August 2018. It was refined and finalised earlier this year and will now be used in scenario planning workshops through 2019 e.g.IDAPS workshop, scheduled in May 2019, in Kampala for around 20 government stakeholders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Supporting the Development of Climate Resilient Society |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | To show-case and share the work of the Walker Institute around climate resilience in the context of the FCFA project, HyCRISTAL |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |