Uncertainty reduction in Models For Understanding deveLopment Applications (UMFULA)

Lead Research Organisation: London School of Economics and Political Science
Department Name: Grantham Research Inst on Climate Change

Abstract

Central and Southern Africa (C&SA) exemplifies the issues that FCFA aims to address: a complex mix of remote and regional climate drivers that challenge conventional climate model simulations, high levels of poorly simulated multi-year climate variability, an extremely low level of investment in climate science relative even to other parts of Africa but particularly West Africa; high physical and socio-economic exposure to climate that projections indicate may become drier and more variable in the future; and low adaptive capacity resulting in decision-making and medium-term planning that is inhibited by significant political, institutional and economic barriers. Meanwhile economic growth and significant infrastructure planning is taking place within C&SA in the absence of adequate climate information.

Deficient understanding of many key climate features in C&SA is one barrier to the integration of climate information into decision-making. UMFULA will provide a step-change in climate science in C&SA. Our objectives include: (i) fundamental research into key climate processes over C&SA and how these are dealt with in models; (ii) a process-based evaluation to determine how models invoke change and whether that change is credible; (iii) production of novel climate products (Work Packages WP1-2) encompassing convection permitting and very high resolution (c4 km) ocean-atmosphere coupled simulations that will reveal processes of high impact events and as yet unexplored complexities of the climate change signal. We will also focus on neglected but critical elements of the circulation such as the links between C&SA and the role of local features including the Angolan Low, Botswana anticyclone, Angola/Benguela Frontal Zone, and the Seychelles-Chagos thermocline ridge. Based on this research and through co-production with stakeholders we will generate improved and streamlined climate information for decision-makers (WP3).

We will use a deliberative and participatory methodology to test findings from FCFA pillars 1 and 2 with stakeholders based on deep engagement in two contrasting case studies: the Rufiji river basin in Tanzania, and sub-national decision-making in Malawi. They are carefully selected as exemplars of multi-sector, multi-stakeholder, and multi-scale decision situations which can be compared for transferable lessons on the effective use of climate services.

In-depth understanding of decision-making contexts, including political economy, theories of institutional change, and individual motivation from behavioural sciences will inform how to tailor and target climate projections for most effective use (WP4). The case study areas (WP5-6) will test these findings through a co-produced framework of C&SA-appropriate decision-making under climate uncertainty to identify robust climate services-informed intervention pathways (portfolios of policies and investments that could work well over a broad range of climatic and socio-economic futures). Our Capstone Work Package (WP7), and major outcome, will be the synthesis of best decision-making models and appraisal methods that are transferable in the African context and enable effective use of climate information in medium-term decision-making.

The seven UMFULA Work Packages cut across the three FCFA pillars to ensure maximum complementarity and integration. We are a consortium with world-leading expertise in climate science, decision science and adaptation research and practice, together with stakeholder networks and strong, long-standing relationships in C&SA. We comprise 5 UK and 13 African institutions.

Planned Impact

Who might benefit from our research? Case study participants: Rufiji river basin: the government River Basin Water Office and the public-private partnership Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania; southern Malawi: Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation and Water Resources, Chikwawa, Nsanje and Thoyolo District Assemblies. Case study outputs will benefit multilateral development banks and the southern African Climate Resilient Infrastructure Facility-CRIDF, who advise on infrastructural development. National and regional decision-makers in C&SA and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) including Southern African Development Community, WATERNET, CRIDF. Programmes concerned with climate services, e.g. Global Framework for Climate Services, CCAFS, IRI, CLIVAR, ESPA, CARIAA ASSAR. Met Services in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania. Universities of Zambia and Yaounde. African citizens vulnerable to climate related risks, or reliant on infrastructure/resources that may be affected by climate change (now-40 years on).
How might they benefit from our research? Through deep engagement, national and local government and private sector stakeholders in both Malawi and Tanzania will be enabled to drive a process of improved use of climate services in decision-making processes. This is critical in both case study contexts which have been selected based on the climate risk to water and agriculture infrastructure and the implications it has for economic development. The process will be supported by the Met Services whose capacity will be built to produce country-specific contextualized projections based on the outputs of climate models given their responsibility in country to do so. Active engagement of Met Services within the case study co-production will also build partnerships that extend beyond the project lifetime and can inform on-going country policy processes: for example the development of the National Adaptation Plans. The ultimate aim is that improved use of climate services in decision-making benefits African citizens, not only in Malawi and Tanzania but also further afield, through the proactive communication of robust theoretical and applied findings to decision-makers across C&SA and further disseminated for use throughout SSA. By engaging with major initiatives such as GFCS (which is piloting programmes in both case study countries) we will have outreach and potential impact well beyond the two case studies. Univ Zambia & Yaounde and African Met Services will participate in a 'big science' project involving state-of-the-art high resolution models.
As a team we have a strong track record of applied research and proven impact in climate science and adaptation across Africa. Our approach includes
Co-production of knowledge and stakeholder-driven deliberative processes as the key methodology in the case studies; in which case study participants are engaged throughout the process and have co-ownership of the process and, by definition, the findings will be targeted to be of direct applicability and achieve maximum development impact.
Embedding impact in our management structures to maximize impact over the lifetime of the project and ensure post-project sustainability
1) Impact sub-group led by KULIMA
2) Advisory Panel, high level strategic guidance, through bi-annual TCs with representation from key regional organisations, public and private sector, donors and multi-laterals (eg agreed participation of World Bank staff)
A proactive approach to collaboration with other RPCs and the CCKE, eg invitation to sit on panels to maximise synergistic findings and outreach opportunities
Seizing opportunities for development of African capacity through providing bursaries to students in C&SA countries, making it a policy for senior team members and PDRAs to give guest lectures/research training sessions during C&SA visits (at university and other organisations eg Government) and offer some remote research co-supervision.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description One of the more ambitious aims of UMFULA climate science was to unlock connections between the central and southern African climate system. We are managing to do that now and the arena is proving particularly insightful to the functioning of both climate systems which until now have been treated as largely independent. UMFULA climate scientists produced numerous papers published on the climate of southern and central Africa that together represent a a significant contribution to knowledge of this poorly understood region.
Our focus on decisions relating to water, energy and food interdependencies in river basin development has provided a strong applied element to our work and resonates well with decision-makers. The need for and interest in integrated analysis of this type has been demonstrated by a request from the IPCC WGII Africa chapter for the PI Conway to act as a contributing author to cover water-energy-food nexus issues.
We have published numerous papers on climate information and policy processes in the region that highlight opportunities and barriers to furthering action on climate change adaptation.
UMFULA has addressed questions of climate science, climate impacts and decision-making processes for adaptation, including:
How does the climate of central and southern Africa work? And how well do climate models represent the key processes responsible for climate?
How might the climate of central and southern Africa change in future decades out to ~2050 and how sure are we about the projected changes?
To what extent can decision-making approaches incorporate climate change uncertainties within investment decisions that cut across the water, energy and food sectors?
How does the political and institutional environment influence the usefulness and usability of climate information for adaptive decision-making?

Our results show:
UMFULA has made major advances in understanding rainfall regimes in central and southern Africa, including the role of features such as cloud bands, the Angola Low and South Indian Ocean high pressure systems. These findings have allowed assessment of the ability of climate models to simulate these processes and their influence on current and future climate in the region. However, it remains the case that future climate projections and impacts are highly uncertain, particularly for rainfall conditions which are critical for social and economic activities.
Understanding the likely future characteristics of climate risk is a key component of adaptation and climate resilient planning, but given future uncertainty it is important to design approaches that are strongly informed by local considerations and are robust to uncertainty, i.e. options that work reasonably well across a range of uncertain future climate (and other) conditions.
Choosing the right tools and approach for climate risk assessment and adaptation to suit the scale of the decision allows a suitable trade-off between robustness and resources required (time and expertise) for analysis.
In sub-Saharan Africa, exposure and vulnerability to climate risk are high across crucial economic sectors. Yet, investments are still made under the assumption that rainfall or streamflow will resemble historical patterns, and most climate-impact studies focus on changes in mean climate. Our analysis identifies critical climate risks to water-energy-food infrastructure performance in two large river basins targeted for major development and highlights the need for climate risk assessments to incorporate a long view of variability.
In the medium term, policy decisions require careful cross-sectoral planning, particularly in cases involving large investments, long life-times and irreversibility, where there is a strong argument for assessing resilience to future climate change (for example around water, energy and food in Malawi and Tanzania).
The process of co-production of knowledge by researchers and wider stakeholders contributes to building societal and institutional capacity to factor climate risks into long-term planning. It also builds the capacity of researchers to better understand real world decision contexts in which climate change is one of many
important factors.
Exploitation Route Our outputs are being used directly by civil servants (FCDO UK, GIZ Tanzania, FCDO Malawi), we have generated wide impact through engaging in well-attended webinars and producing a range of non-academic outputs (briefs, key messages report, web material such as blogs) and organising workshops/discussions with various groups of stakeholders. Through these ongoing dissemination activities we anticipate our approaches and findings will begin to be adopted by national stakeholders (in academia, civil service and civil society). We have provide inputs into national policies and strategies in Malawi. For example, we regularly engaged with the National Technical and Steering Committees on Climate Change in Malawi and we provided comments on the draft National Resilience Strategy and its Implementation Plan.At the invitation of our partner, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, we also provided inputs to Malawi's Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
We led publication of a cross FCFA programme book in 2021 - Climate Risk in Africa. Adaptation and Resilience.
Our focus on decisions relating to water, energy and food interdependencies in river basin development has provided a strong applied element to our work and resonates well with decision-makers. The need for and interest in integrated analysis of this type has been demonstrated by a request from the IPCC WGII Africa chapter for the PI Conway to act as a contributing author to cover water-energy-food nexus issues.
UMFULA research related papers have been cited widely in the IPCC Working Group II report Africa chapter 2022.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Energy

Environment

Government

Democracy and Justice

URL http://www.futureclimateafrica.org
 
Description UMFULA has taken an interdisciplinary approach and has collaborated extensively with key government agencies in Malawi and Tanzania to design climate information relevant for decision-making. In Malawi, our engagement has been led by Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Malawi University of Science and Technology, and in Tanzania by Sokoine University of Agriculture. Enshrined within the co-production process to carry out all our activities in Malawi and Tanzania, UMFULA has been committed to ensuring that our research process and findings have impact in our case study countries. Close collaboration with partners in the Rufiji Basin and the Lake Malawi Shire River Basin enabled us to jointly explore adaptation options for robust decision-making in a context of climate and other socio-economic and environmental changes. We prepared a series of Country Climate Briefs (for Malawi and Tanzania), river basin planning assessments (Lake Malawi and Rufiji) and two on Using Climate Models. We have distributed these briefs widely and received positive feedback from many stakeholders - in government, academia and civil society. We had specific positive feedback from staff members in UK DFID and German GIZ. The briefs have informed development of country programmes (DFID in Malawi and GIZ in Tanzania). Our findings have been presented in various workshops in Malawi and Tanzania to different groups of stakeholders (government, academic, civil society) through these interactions our work and approaches will filter into understanding and approaches adopted by experts in each country. Highlights of our public engagement activities in Malawi include presentation of a range of UMFULA findings at Malawi's first National Adaptation Symposium in 2018 and co-hosting a panel discussion in November 2017, together with the Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC), on 'How climate information can build a resilient Malawi', with speakers from the Environmental Affairs Department, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services and the United Nations Development Programme, as well as UMFULA and CISONECC. We had several opportunities to provide inputs into national policies and strategies in Malawi. For example, we regularly engaged with the National Technical and Steering Committees on Climate Change in Malawi. We provided comments on the draft National Resilience Strategy and its Implementation Plan. Key findings are also being provided to members of the National Planning Commission tasked with developing the new long-term development vision for Malawi. At the invitation of our partner, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, we also provided inputs to Malawi's Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We also made structural recommendations relating to the presentation and explanation of climate projections, and we provided a set of future projections based on country climate briefs we produced in 2017. In Tanzania, we engaged in universities, through regular lectures and clinic sessions with students, at Sokoine University of Agriculture and the University of Dar es Salaam. We were also one of the facilitators of the Africa Climate Leadership Programme (AfriCLP) held in Dar es Salaam in 2018, addressing challenges in delivering climate services on the continent. Africa-wide, we participated in Africa Water Week in 2016 and 2018 with, for example, a side event in 2016 on the theme of climate resilience and the connections between the water, energy and food sectors in east and southern Africa, with speakers from the Government of Kenya and the UK's Department for International Development. We have produced a 'Key Messages' report that has been widely disseminated. We have continued to engage with stakeholder organisations and disseminate our findings in response to requests in Malawi and Tanzania. We led an FCFA programme wide book to synthesise lessons from engaging with stakeholders to promote use of climate information for planning and decision-making; Climate Risk in Africa. Adaptation and Resilience. The book is open access and has been downloaded >33,000 times and is aimed at applied researchers, students and practitioners (it has been circulated to >400 staff within the NGO CARE and featured widely on NGO/Development information platforms such as PreventionWeb). Many of our papers are cited in the new IPCC Working Group II Report, particularly in the Africa chapter (published March 2022).
First Year Of Impact 2016
Sector Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Societal

Policy & public services

 
Description Citation in "Strategic program for climate resilience: Malawi pilot program on climate resilience (PPCR)" for consideration by the Climate Investment Funds
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Citation in other policy documents
URL https://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/documents/strategic-program-climate-resilience-spcr-malawi
 
Description Inception training of the Africa Climate Leadership Program
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact Declan Conway presented at this leadership program held at the University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. He presented in the science-policy interface and also on challenges in delivering climate services on the continent.
URL http://africlp.or.ke/resources/program.pdf
 
Description Participate in Advisory Committee, National Multi-stakeholder Forum and Regional Task Force
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
Impact Improved understanding of the water, land and environmental management for enhanced productivity.
 
Description CLimate Adaptation and Resilience In Tropical drYlands (CLARITY). CLARE programme
Amount $8,000,000 (CAD)
Organisation International Development Research Centre 
Sector Public
Country Canada
Start 03/2023 
End 10/2026
 
Description DRiSL: The Drought Risk finance Science Laboratory
Amount £369,401 (GBP)
Funding ID NE/R014272/1 
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2018 
End 06/2020
 
Description NERC INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION AND IMPACT AWARDS
Amount £50,000 (GBP)
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2017 
End 03/2017
 
Description Probabilistic Forecasting of Food Security in Africa
Amount £66,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Sussex 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2018 
End 06/2020
 
Title Climate change and the water-energy-food nexus: insights from policy and practice in Tanzania 
Description The threat of climate change is emerging at a time of rapid growth for many economies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Dominant narratives comprising ambitious development plans are common and often based around sectors with strong inter-dependencies that are highly exposed to climate variability. Using document analysis and key informant interviews, this article examines how climate change is addressed in policy, how it is being mainstreamed into water, energy and agriculture sector policies and the extent to which cross-sectoral linkages enable coordinated action. These questions are addressed through a case study of Tanzania, highlighting broader lessons for other developing countries, particularly those in SSA facing similar challenges. The article finds that, while the agriculture and water sectors are increasingly integrating climate change into policies and plans in Tanzania, practical coordination on adaptation remains relatively superficial. Publication of the Tanzania National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) in 2007 marked a step change in the integration of climate change in sectoral policies and plans; however, it may have reinforced a sectoral approach to climate change. Examining the policies for coherence highlights overlaps and complementarities which lend themselves to a coordinated approach. Institutional constraints (particularly structures and resources) restrict opportunities for inter-sectoral action and thus collaboration is confined to ad hoc projects with mixed success to date. The results highlight the need for institutional frameworks that recognize and address these constraints to enable development goals to be pursued in a more sustainable and climate-resilient manner. KEY POLICY INSIGHTSThe NAPA has been successful at encouraging climate change mainstreaming into sectoral policies in Tanzania; however, the cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to implementing adaptation strategies remains limited due to institutional challenges such as power imbalances, budget constraints and an ingrained sectoral approach.Collaboration between nexus sectors in Tanzania is largely through ad hoc projects with limited progress on establishing deeper connections to enable collaboration as a process. Regular cross-sectoral planning meetings and consistent annual budgets could provide a platform to enhance cross-sectoral coordination.Plans to develop hydropower and agriculture are prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa. Insights from Tanzania highlight the importance of institutional and policy frameworks that enable cross-sectoral coordination. The NAPA has been successful at encouraging climate change mainstreaming into sectoral policies in Tanzania; however, the cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to implementing adaptation strategies remains limited due to institutional challenges such as power imbalances, budget constraints and an ingrained sectoral approach. Collaboration between nexus sectors in Tanzania is largely through ad hoc projects with limited progress on establishing deeper connections to enable collaboration as a process. Regular cross-sectoral planning meetings and consistent annual budgets could provide a platform to enhance cross-sectoral coordination. Plans to develop hydropower and agriculture are prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa. Insights from Tanzania highlight the importance of institutional and policy frameworks that enable cross-sectoral coordination. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2017 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/Climate_change_and_the_water_energy_food_nexus_insights_from_pol...
 
Title Climate change and the water-energy-food nexus: insights from policy and practice in Tanzania 
Description The threat of climate change is emerging at a time of rapid growth for many economies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Dominant narratives comprising ambitious development plans are common and often based around sectors with strong inter-dependencies that are highly exposed to climate variability. Using document analysis and key informant interviews, this article examines how climate change is addressed in policy, how it is being mainstreamed into water, energy and agriculture sector policies and the extent to which cross-sectoral linkages enable coordinated action. These questions are addressed through a case study of Tanzania, highlighting broader lessons for other developing countries, particularly those in SSA facing similar challenges. The article finds that, while the agriculture and water sectors are increasingly integrating climate change into policies and plans in Tanzania, practical coordination on adaptation remains relatively superficial. Publication of the Tanzania National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) in 2007 marked a step change in the integration of climate change in sectoral policies and plans; however, it may have reinforced a sectoral approach to climate change. Examining the policies for coherence highlights overlaps and complementarities which lend themselves to a coordinated approach. Institutional constraints (particularly structures and resources) restrict opportunities for inter-sectoral action and thus collaboration is confined to ad hoc projects with mixed success to date. The results highlight the need for institutional frameworks that recognize and address these constraints to enable development goals to be pursued in a more sustainable and climate-resilient manner. KEY POLICY INSIGHTSThe NAPA has been successful at encouraging climate change mainstreaming into sectoral policies in Tanzania; however, the cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to implementing adaptation strategies remains limited due to institutional challenges such as power imbalances, budget constraints and an ingrained sectoral approach.Collaboration between nexus sectors in Tanzania is largely through ad hoc projects with limited progress on establishing deeper connections to enable collaboration as a process. Regular cross-sectoral planning meetings and consistent annual budgets could provide a platform to enhance cross-sectoral coordination.Plans to develop hydropower and agriculture are prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa. Insights from Tanzania highlight the importance of institutional and policy frameworks that enable cross-sectoral coordination. The NAPA has been successful at encouraging climate change mainstreaming into sectoral policies in Tanzania; however, the cross-sectoral collaboration crucial to implementing adaptation strategies remains limited due to institutional challenges such as power imbalances, budget constraints and an ingrained sectoral approach. Collaboration between nexus sectors in Tanzania is largely through ad hoc projects with limited progress on establishing deeper connections to enable collaboration as a process. Regular cross-sectoral planning meetings and consistent annual budgets could provide a platform to enhance cross-sectoral coordination. Plans to develop hydropower and agriculture are prevalent across sub-Saharan Africa. Insights from Tanzania highlight the importance of institutional and policy frameworks that enable cross-sectoral coordination. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2017 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/Climate_change_and_the_water_energy_food_nexus_insights_from_pol...
 
Title Decision-relevant drought indices: Country and admin level-1 Soil Moisture and drought indices with associated Return Periods 1 for three target countries: 
Description Multiple decision-relevant drought indices: Country and admin level-1 Soil Moisture and drought indices from multiple sources of data with associated Return Periods 1 for three target countries: Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Madagascar 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2019 
Provided To Others? No  
Impact support DRiSL project 
 
Title Water Resources Satisfaction Index data generated for decision-relevant crop types in Zimbabwe using calibrated and validated Tamsat-Alert system 
Description Water Resources Satisfaction Index data generated for decision-relevant crop types in Zimbabwe using calibrated and validated Tamsat-Alert system 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2019 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Supports DRiSL project 
 
Description Climate information for decision-making in Tanzania's Rufiji Basin 
Organisation Ministry of Water and Irrigation
Country Tanzania, United Republic of 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We have developed a collaboration with the Rufiji Basin Water Office (RBWO) and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Tanzania to model climate impacts on water resources in the Basin and analyse trade-offs between different water related development decisions in the agriculture, energy and water sectors. We have held several meetings to update each other on work progress, the latest of which was in July 2019.
Collaborator Contribution We have developed a collaboration with the Rufiji Basin Water Office (RBWO) and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Tanzania to model climate impacts on water resources in the Basin and analyse trade-offs between different water related development decisions in the agriculture, energy and water sectors. We have held several meetings to update each other on work progress, the latest of which was in July 2019.
Impact One research paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581818302088
Start Year 2015
 
Description 2019 Gerald Lacey Lecture: Climate change and water security in Africa 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Declan Conway spoke and presented UMFULA work and findings at this event organised in May 2019 in London by the Institute of Civil Engineers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.ice.org.uk/eventarchive/2019-gerald-lacey-lecture-climate-change-london
 
Description Adaptation Futures 2016 presentation on planning the next generation of adaptation research 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Declan Conway presented at a session at the Adaptation Futures Conference in May 2016 on 'Planning the next generation of adaptation research: how to coordinate, broker and amplifying large research consortia to achieve development impact'. He presented on his experience with the UMFULA consortium.

Organised by:
Lindsey Jones, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), United Kingdom
Ken De Souza, Jane Clark, Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom

Presentations:
Synthesising common opportunities and barriers to the coordination, brokering and amplification of adaptation research through large multi-stakeholder consortia
Blane Harvey, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), United Kingdom

Lightning presentations from a series of knowledge managers, researchers and funders
Bernard Cantin, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada

Declan Conway, London School of Economics (LSE), United Kingdom
Emily Wilkinson, Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters (BRACED), United Kingdom

Lightning presentations from a series of knowledge managers, researchers and funders
Bara Guèye, Innovations Environnement Développement (IED), Senegal
Stef Raubenheimer, SouthSouthNorth (SSN), South Africa
Corinne Lamain, The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), the Netherlands
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL http://www.adaptationfutures2016.org/programme/sessions/themesissues/issue8/sc8.16
 
Description Adaptation Futures 2018 presentation on "Cross-sectoral collaboration and the water-energy-food nexus: lessons from policy and practice in Tanzania" (Pardoe) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Joanna Pardoe presented her work as part of the UMFULA project, leveraged funding from CCCEP, on cross-sectoral collaboration in Tanzania, at the conference Adaptation Futures, in Cape Town, South Africa.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description African Climate Risks Conference 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact UMFULA was on the organising panel of the African Climate Risks Conference held in Addis Ababa on 7-9 October 2019. This conferenced featured work and findings from UMFULA with various presentations from the research team, and reflections on the state of climate services on the African continent. Over 300 people attended from various European and African Countries. Journalists were also present and wrote several articles which were published online:
https://enb.iisd.org/climate/acrc/2019/html/enbplus172num47e.html
https://sway.office.com/9HooF5F6eCG6gzek?ref=Twitter&loc=endofstory
https://dailynews.co.tz/news/2019-10-295db844d772b05.aspx
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.africanclimaterisksconference2019.org/
 
Description Article in Malawi 24 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact UMFULA brief on projecting future water availability in Lake Malawi and Shire River Basin: https://futureclimateafrica.org/resource/brief-projecting-future-water-availability-in-lake-malawi-and-the-shire-river-basin/ was picked up by Malawian online news outlet Malawi 24.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://malawi24.com/2019/07/10/malawi-facing-water-crisis/
 
Description Article in PreventionWeb on UMFULA key messages brief 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact UMFULA key messages brief: https://futureclimateafrica.org/resource/key-messages-from-the-umfula-project/ was picked up by PreventionWeb.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/68038
 
Description Article in ReliefWeb on UMFULA key messages brief 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact UMFULA key messages brief: https://futureclimateafrica.org/resource/key-messages-from-the-umfula-project/ was picked up by RefliefWeb.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://reliefweb.int/report/malawi/current-and-future-climate-central-and-southern-africa-what-we-h...
 
Description Article on SciDev.net relating to Nature Energy paper (doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact SciDev picked up a press release distributed about Nature Energy paper (doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4). The resulting news article was covered by SciDev sub-Saharan Africa desk and separately by the SciDev global desk.(Links: https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/climate-change/news/africa-s-planned-dams-could-disrupt-electricity-supply.html and https://www.scidev.net/global/policy/news/hydropower-could-supply-africa-s-entire-power-needs-.html)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.scidev.net/global/policy/news/hydropower-could-supply-africa-s-entire-power-needs-.html
 
Description Article op-ed in The Conversation (linked to Nature Energy paper: doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Professor Conway worked with The Conversation (Africa desk) to produce an op-ed for The Conversation website linked to the publication of Nature Energy paper (doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4). The article was published on The Conversation (Africa desk and the UK) (Link: https://theconversation.com/new-dams-in-africa-could-add-risk-to-power-supplies-down-the-line-89789)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://theconversation.com/new-dams-in-africa-could-add-risk-to-power-supplies-down-the-line-89789
 
Description Blog article for LSE Global Policy Lab: Central and Southern Africa:High-Stakes Decisions under Climate Uncertainty 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Article written by Declan Conway featuring UMFULA work and the policy brief presenting the research findings: https://futureclimateafrica.org/resource/key-messages-from-the-umfula-project/
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL http://www.lse.ac.uk/GranthamInstitute/publication/from-green-to-blue-finance-integrating-the-ocean-...
 
Description Blog featured on the CCCEP website relating to Nature Energy paper (doi: 10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Professor Conway produced a blog for the CCCEP website relating to his Nature Energy paper (doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.cccep.ac.uk/news/plans-new-hydropower-dams-eastern-southern-africa-increase-risk-disrupt...
 
Description CRIDF involvement at UMFULA inception meeting 
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 We invited Shehnaaz Moosa from the Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility (CRIDF) to come to the project inception meeting in November 2015. Ms Moosa was presented our plan of activities in the region and we agreed to coordinate activities, in particular in terms of stakeholder engagement.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015
 
Description Coverage of 'Policy coherence for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa' poliby brief on Sci-Dev 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Our policy brief 'Policy coherence for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa' was featured on Sci-Dev
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/policy/multimedia/conflicting-policies-impeding-climate-ch...
 
Description Coverage of GCM guide on PreventionWeb 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Our guide "How to understand and interpret global climate model results" featured on the website of PreventionWeb which has a wide outreach.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.preventionweb.net/publications/view/55262
 
Description Coverage of Tanzania and Malawi Climate Briefs and GCM Guide on CDKN website 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Our Country Climate Briefs for Tanzania and Malawi as well as our guide on global climate models were featured on the CDKN website.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://cdkn.org/2017/12/feature-hotter-future-tanzania-and-malawi/?loclang=en_gb
 
Description Coverage of Tanzania and Malawi Climate Briefs and GCM Guide on WeAdapt website 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Our two country climate briefs and GCM guide were featured on the WeAdapt website as well as their newsletters. https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/using-climate-information/future-climate-projections-for-malawi; https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/using-climate-information/how-to-understand-and-interpret-global-climate-model-results; https://www.weadapt.org/knowledge-base/using-climate-information/future-climate-projections-for-tanzania
This increased the number of downloads of the briefs: as of December 2018, 128 downloads for the Malawi brief, 133 downloads for the GCM guide and 35 donwloads for the Tanzania brief
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description DFID seminar on decision-making under climate uncertainty 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Declan Conway was invited to speak at a seminar in DFID on decision-making under climate uncertainty. He spoke in particular of the work undertaken under the UMFULA project.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description DFID water-infrastructure advisers retreat 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Declan Conway presented at this retreat on climate, power and load shedding in Africa. This led to a good discussion and interest the the work. It also led to a further invitation to DFID Tanzania in January 2018.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
 
Description Engagement with Water Witness International 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact We met with Nick Hepworth, Director of Water Witness International to present the project and coordinate on activities in Tanzania.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description European Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2019 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Christian Siderius had a poster presentation on his work in the Rufiji Basin for UMFULA at this international conference held in May 2019
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description FCFA mid-term conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Joanna Pardoe presented a poster at the FCFA mid-term conference and received good feedback on her work with the sugar and tea sectors.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://www.futureclimateafrica.org/news/future-climate-for-africa-programme-conference-delivers-stim...
 
Description Guest post in Carbon Brief: Understanding the water-energy-food nexus in a warming climate 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Declan Conway, Christian Siderius and Japhet Kashaigili published this article featuring work on the water, energy and food nexus in Tanzania. The article was cross posted on two websites: Pumps Africa and Resilience.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-understanding-the-water-energy-food-nexus-in-a-warming-climat...
 
Description IAHS Scientific Assembly in Port Elizabeth, South Africa 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Both Declan Conway and Christian Siderius presented at this conference on UMFULA research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://cwrr.ukzn.ac.za/iahs/overview-of-scientific-programme
 
Description IAPS symposium 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Joanna Pardoe presented on "Improving climate change information and cross-sectoral coordination for climate resilient infrastructure development" at this Symposium, held in Tanzania in September 2017.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://iaps2017.com/wrdprs/
 
Description Institute of Civil Engineers blog: Climate change and water security in Africa: preparing for the impacts 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Article written by Declan Conway featuring UMFULA work
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.ice.org.uk/news-and-insight/the-civil-engineer/may-2019/climate-change-water-security-af...
 
Description Interview for the Economist 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Declan Conway and Ajay Bhave were interviewed by a journalist from the Economist about UMFULA in Malawi's Shire River Basin, following the publication of a policy brief on water availability in Malawi: https://futureclimateafrica.org/resource/brief-projecting-future-water-availability-in-lake-malawi-and-the-shire-river-basin/
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2019/09/16/climate-change-is-making-it-harder-to-re...
 
Description Meeting with the Tanzania Met Agency, November 2018 
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 As part of the UMFULA project, a meeting was organised in November 2018 with the Tanzania Met Agency, to discuss UMFULA's climate science work, the Agency's activities, and generally long range and short range weather forecast.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description News feature about new book from UMFULA/FCFA 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Online article to promote new book from UMFULA/FCFA
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://futureclimateafrica.org/news/grappling-with-risk-in-a-climate-altered-future-new-africa-focu...
 
Description Online Commentary on research institute website 
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 Online commentary on Grantham website to promote recommendations to policymakers on adaptation based on UMFULA research and new book just published
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/supporting-adaptation-action-and-climate-resilience-in-...
 
Description Online comment for Climate Change website Carbon Brief 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Online article written for Carbon Brief to highlight key insights from UMFULA research to tie in with launch of new book. Over 1,300 page views for average of roughly 4 minutes.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-lessons-from-africa-on-climate-change-adaptation
 
Description Online commentary to promote two new papers - one from UMFULA on Water-energy-food nexus 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Online commentary on the WEF nexus - to promote two new papers on the topic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/quantifying-and-visualising-inter-dependencies-in-the-w...
 
Description Online presentation COP26 Adaptation and Resilience Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Invited talk - COP26 Adaptation and Resilience Online Event - UK-hosted global launch. Climate information for adaptation: insights from Africa and India.
The aim of the event was to showcase research that is collaborative, locally led and globally relevant and aligned to the UK COP26 presidency's adaptation loss and damage (formally resilience) theme.
My presentation captured headline findings from UMFULA and CCCEP research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://www.ukri.org/our-work/responding-to-climate-change/ukri-towards-cop26/climate-adaptation-and...
 
Description Online workshop - 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Online workshop - Climate change, projections, impacts and the Rufiji River Basin - Final Workshop. Rufiji Basin Water Board Conference, Iringa. September, 2021
Workshop provided a forum to present final project results to Government Staff and Third Sector organisations in Tanzania. Opportunity to discuss results, highlight tools coming from the project and to identify further pathways to impact.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Panel discussion in Lilongwe on how climate information can inform a resilient Malawi 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Third sector organisations
Results and Impact Approximately 40 representatives of government ministries, NGOs and media participated in an expert panel discussion co-hosted by the UMFULA project (through the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources) with the Civil Society Network on Climate Change in Lilongwe in 2017. Expert presenters were UMFULA PI Declan Conway, Director of the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Jolamu Nkhokwe and Deputy Director of the Environmental Affairs Department, Shamiso Najira. Panellists were UMFULA co-PI Andrew Dougill, Elina Kululanga from the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Julius Ng'oma from the Civil Society Network on Climate Change and Sothini Nyirenda from UNDP. The theme was how climate information can inform a resilient Malawi, and gave the opportunity to highlight research findings, policy framework, and particular climate information needs. The event was reported in local print media.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://kulima.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Report_How_can_climate_information_build_a_resilient_Ma...
 
Description Presentation at GEO-Global Water Sustainability Business meeting (Siderius) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Christian Siderius presented his work on water resources development in the Rufiji Basin, Tanzania, at this meeting which was part of the Group on Earth Observsations and which aimed at developping pathways to more efficiently implement the agenda of the GEOGLOWS Initiative.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Press coverage associated with publication of project Policy Brief and blog 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact After publication of the project Policy Brief it was featured in several online news sites;
Future Climate For Africa website article - blog
Changing rainfall patterns spell risk for hydropower in Africa
http://www.futureclimateafrica.org/news/hydropower-plans-in-eastern-and-southern-africa-could-put-electricity-supply-at-risk/
Climate Change News;
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2018/09/20/changing-rainfall-patterns-spell-risk-hydropower-africa/
Online news article;
Tanzania's climate change confusion
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-10-10-tanzanias-climate-change-confusion/
We don't know what impact this may have had.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Press release (for Nature Energy paper doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact A press release was distributed to coincide with the publication of Nature Energy paper (doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0037-4). The press release was sent to a small selection of development press and those writing about energy in Africa. The press release with an accompanying pitch was send to SciDev.net and The Conversation Africa desk. The press release was reported on.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL https://www.cccep.ac.uk/news/plans-new-hydropower-dams-eastern-southern-africa-increase-risk-disrupt...
 
Description Research brief featured on Thomson Reuters News website - first page, 12/07/2018 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact A Policy Brief was launched and to accompany this we produced a Press Release to profile the main policy relevant messages.
This was picked up by Reuters and featured on their website - we don't know how many people used the link or followed up afterwards.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Side event at Africa Water Week 2016 
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 LSE organised a side event at the Africa Water Week Conference in July 2016 in Tanzania as part of the FCFA-UMFULA and the SAHEWS projects. The side event was on "Climate resilience and the water-energy nexus in East and Southern Africa".

Two short presentations
Prof Declan Conway - Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, LSE
Prof Julien Harou, Manchester University

Panel discussion
Prof Japhet Kashaigili - Sokoine University of Agriculture
Mr Peter Oluoch Odhengo - Environment and Climate Finance, National Treasury, Government of Kenya
Mr Stephen Mooney - Department For International Development, DFID Tanzania

Declan Conway highlighted recent studies that demonstrate the significance of climate variability and climate change for hydropower and environmental flows, and present practical methods to integrate climate risks in sustainable water management. He presented the various challenges that climate variability presents to east and southern Africa's water-energy nexus.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL http://www.futureclimateafrica.org/news/data-key-to-climate-resilience-in-east-and-southern-africa/
 
Description Stakeholder workshop at the Rufiji River Basin Office 
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 Declan Conway (UMFULA PI) attended this final workshop on 25-26 June 2015. The main elements of the Rufiji Basin Decision Support System and the Basin Development Plan were presented and discussed with a range of stakeholders. Contacts were made and the UMFULA project was introduced to a range of key people from the region who expressed interest.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015
 
Description Webinar on policy coherence for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa 
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 Joanna Pardoe, Patrick Curran, Andy Dougill and Katharine Vincent organised a webinar in October 2018 to disseminate the work published in a policy brief on 'Policy coherence for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa'. The webinar was well attended, with over 60 people, half of which from the African continent, and with a mix of practitioners, policy-makers, NGOs, businesses and researchers. The webinar got a high score for its usefulness by its participants, in a poll at the end.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018