Uncertainty reduction in Models For Understanding deveLopment Applications (UMFULA)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Malawi
Department Name: Natural Resource management
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
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.
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.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
David Dalison Mkwambisi (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Vincent K
(2020)
Re-balancing climate services to inform climate-resilient planning - A conceptual framework and illustrations from sub-Saharan Africa
in Climate Risk Management
Pardoe J
(2020)
Evolution of national climate adaptation agendas in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia: the role of national leadership and international donors
in Regional Environmental Change
Description | The findings have been used to contribute to national development strategies and policies including the National Resilience Strategy, Succesor for Vision 2020, review of industrialisation strategies in Malawi, communication to the UNFCCC and mentorship to Africa Group of Negotiators. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education,Energy,Environment |
Impact Types | 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 | Contribution to National Resilience Strategy and Malawi Growth Development Strategy |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
URL | http://www.malawi.govt |
Description | - MUST ISP Programme |
Amount | $12,000,000 (USD) |
Organisation | UK Department for International Development |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2019 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | Exchanging knowledge on the multiple values of urban green infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa |
Amount | £27,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/R002681/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2017 |
End | 05/2019 |
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 | Engagement meeting with media and government officials |
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 | The Annual meeting for UMFULA was held in Malawi. During the meeting we invited government officials and those from media houses to attend the meeting and interact with national and international experts. Government officials also contributed to the annual meeting. During the period, we organised the national round table discussion with several stakeholders from government, media and NGOs to present the findings and also discuss in general the projected climate for Malawi. There was another engagement forum for officials from the department of water where preliminary findings on models were presented |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://luanar.ac.mw |