Events – WASCAL

World Symposium on Climate Change Adaptatio – Akure, Nigeria

2019-01-28 – 23:00h to 2019-09-13 – 09:45h

3rdWORLD SYMPOSIUM ON CLIMATE CHANGEADAPTATION(WSCCA-2019)Akure, Nigeria, 11-13 September 2019///BACKGROUNDClimate change is among the major challenges of moderntimes. As the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the COP 24 recommendations callfrom action not only from government, but also from various stakeholders.Apart from the knowledge offered bymodelling and forecasts which allowsus to understand the problem and how it develops in the future, we need to know more about approaches, methods and tools, which may help us to cope with the social, economic and political problems posed by climate change now. In order words, we need to speed up developments in the field of climate change adaptation.It is against this background that the “3ndWorld Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation” is beingorganised. The event is a joint initiative by the Federal University of Technology in Akure, Nigeria, and the Research and Transfer Centre “Applications of Life Sciences” of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany), in cooperation with the International Climate Change Information Programme (ICCIP).The Symposium will be a truly interdisciplinary event, covering some of the key areas in the field of climate change adaptation.The “3rdWorld Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation” will be held in Akure, Nigeria.It will focus on “climate changeadaptationto address poverty and ensure sustainable livelihoods”, and will contribute to the further development of this fast-growing field. ///AIMS Consistent with the need for more cross-sectoral interactions among the various stakeholders working in the field of climate change adaptation, the aims of the “3rdWorld Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation” are as follows:i.to provide research institutions, universities, NGOs and enterprises all round the world with an opportunity to display and present their works in the field of climate change adaptation;ii.to foster the exchange of information, ideas and experiences acquired in the execution of climate change adaptation projects, especially successful initiatives and good practice;iii.to discuss methodological approaches and experiences deriving from case studies and projects,which aim to show how the principles of climate change adaptation may be implemented in practice;iv.to network the participants and provide a platform so they can explore possibilities for cooperation.Last but not least, a further aim of the event will be to document and disseminate the wealth of experiences on climate change adaptation available today across the world. To this
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3purpose,the book “Climate Change Adaptation: addressing poverty and ensuring sustainable livelihoods”will be published, with all accepted papers.This will be a further volume of the award-winning book series “Climate Change Management” published by Springer,which since its creation in 2008 has become the world ́s leading book series on climate change management. In addition, a set of papers selected by the coordination teamwill be published ina special issue of the International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management(a fully indexed journal, also at ISI /Thomson Reuters).The decision of the editors as to which papers may be selected -and undergo peer review-for the book and for the special issue of the journal, is final.///PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSDelegates attending the “3rdWorld Symposiumon Climate Change Adaptation” will come from a cross-sectoral range of areas, from both industrialised and developing countries. They are:i.officials at city, regional and national level concerned with climate changeii.members of NGOs working with climate change;iii.researchersat universities and research centres;iv.teaching staff at universities;v.representatives from companies vi.representatives from development agencies working with climate change adaptation and executing projects on the ground;vii.project officers and consultants;viii.other people interested in the field.The participation of doctoral students is warmly encouraged and supervisors/advisers are kindly requested to facilitate their participation.The sort of international exposure and the rich content of this Symposium will be beneficial to their work,and their careers.It is believed that this wide range of participants will help to outline the need for and the usefulness of integrated approaches towards climate change adaptation and, hence contributeto the further consolidation of this thematic area.///STRUCTURE OF THE EVENTThe “3rdWorld Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation” isorganised in two main strands:Strand 1: the posters Participating and organisations will be able to put-up posters describing their works and projects,and to distribute the relevant information to the participants. The posters will allow close, one-to-one contacts between the participants and the exhibitors.Strand 2: the presentationsA set of presentations, divided into six main themes will be organised, distributed over parallel sessions dealing with some of the issues of strategic value in the field of climate change adaptation. These are:
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4•Session 1) Climate Literacy, Information and Communication•Session 2) Technological approaches to Climate Change Adaptation/Innovative Approaches towards Low Carbon Economics•Session 3) Food Security and Climate Change: Adapting Agriculture to Climate Change•Session 4) Climate Change and Health•Session 5) Climate Change Adaptation, Resilience Extreme Events/Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management•Session 6) Climate Change Policy and Governance•Session 7) Implementing Climate Change Adaptation in Communities, Cities, Countries and via Outreach ProgrammesA final session, to be held on Friday, will close the event and will lead to an Award being given to the best papers.///TIME-TABLEThe schedule of the “3rdWorld Symposium on Climate Change Adaptation” is as follows:WEDNESDAY 11hSEPTEMBER 2019(morning)WEDNESDAY 11thSEPTEMBER 2019(afternoon)Morning:Arrival and set-up of displays 14:00-17:00-Plenary SessionEvening:Reception THRUSDAY 12thSEPTEMBER 2019FRIDAY, 13thSEPTEMBER 2019All day:Exhibition and visit to displaysMorning:Plenary and Sessions Afternoon:Plenary and SessionsEvening:DinnerAll day:Exhibition and visit to displaysMorning:Plenary and Sessions, Round-table with key experts & ConclusionsAfternoon: 14:00-Final Session and hand over of the Best Paper AwardsIn order to ensure an efficient use of the time, delegates are kindly asked to organisetheir travel in a way that allows them to arrive in Akure in the course of Wednesdaythe11thSeptember 2019at the latest, and travel back on or after the 13thSeptember 2019, so they can fully take part in the Symposium.
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5The mixture of plenary and parallel sessions, as well as the social events,will provide participants with an outstanding opportunity to interact, networkand learn about the latest ideas, projectsand practices aimed at mainstreaming climate change adaptation, worldwide.///DEADLINESDeadline for submission of abstracts: 10th April 2019Deadline for submission of papers: 20th June 2019 Deadline for the submission of revised papers: 20th July 2019Deadline for registrations: 30th July 2019 Since the conference book is expected to be launched shortly after the event, the deadlines need to be followed.///FEES AND CHARGESA discounted fee of € 250(plus 19%VAT) will be charged to delegateswho register until 30thJanuary 2019(early bird registration). After that, delegates will need to pay the full fee of € 300 (plus 19% VAT). The reduced fee for MSc/PhD students is € 100. The feeincludes free lunches and coffee breaks on 11th-13thSeptember 2019and free electronic access to the book“Climate Change Adaptation: addressing poverty and ensuring sustainable livelihoods”,expected to be launched soon after the Symposium.Interested people andorganisations are encouraged to register by completing the application form provided. This is a self-funded event and the organisers are unable to pay any travel or accommodation costsof any kind. They are however happy to issue letters of invitation to support delegates to request funding for their participation. ///ORGANISERS•The Federal Universityof Technology, Akure, Nigeria•Hamburg University of Applied Sciences,Research and Transfer Centre “Applications of Life Sciences”•International Climate Change Information Programme (ICCIP)•WorldFish Centre (WFC)///NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS•UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)•UN Environment Programme (UNEP)•World Health Organisation(WHO)•World Meteorological Organisation(WMO)•International Climate Change Information Programme (ICCIP)
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6///SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEECo-Chairs •Prof. Walter Leal, School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, & HAW Hamburg, Germany•Dr. Adeleke Mosunmola Lydia, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, NigeriaMembersProf. Marco Akerman, School of Public Health at the University of São Paulo and Latin America Vice President of the International Union of Health Promotion and EducationProf. Xavier Medina UOC, Barcelona EspanhaProf. Javier Aliaga, Catholic University of Bolivia, BoliviaDr. Abul Quasem Al-Amin, University of Malaya, Malaysia Dr. Nelson Amaro, Galileo University, GuatemalaProf. Sandra Caeiro, Universidade Aberta, PortugalProf. Luís Miguel Nunes, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, PortugalProf. Luiz Velazquez Contrera, University of Sonora, MexicoProf. Boaventura Chango Cuamba, Eduardo Mondlane University, MozambiqueDr. Alison Duffy, Abertay University, UKProf. Alexander Feher, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia.Prof. Amadou Gaye, University Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar,SenegalProf. Plamen Gramatikov, University of Blageovgrad, Bulgaria Prof. Baltasar D ́Andrade Guerra, UNISUL, BrazilProf. Henning Sten Hansen, Aalborg University CopenhagenProf. Arvo IItal, Technical University of Tallin, EstoniaProf. Chardel Jabbour, University of São Paulo, BrazilProf. Seppo Helsten, Finnish Environment Institute, FinlandProf. Maris Klavins, University of Latvia, LatviaProf. Linas Kliucininkas, Kaunas University of Technology, LithuaniaDr. Evangelos Manolas, Democritus University of Thrace, GreeceProf. David Chávez Muñoz, Pontificia UniversidadCatólica del Perú, PeruProf. Justice Nyamangara, Chinhoyi University of Technology, ZimbabweProf Kehinde Ogunjobi-Director WASCAL DRP-WACS,Federal university of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.Prof. Nicholas Otienoh Oguge, University of Nairobi, KenyaProf. Osvaldo Quelhas, Fluminense Federal University, BrazilDr. Karuturi Rao, ICRISAT, EthiopiaProf. Julia Seixas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, PortugalProf. Michael Shilin, Russian State Hydrometeorological University, RussiaProf. Anirudh Singh, University of the South Pacific, FijiProf. Luis Vargas, University of Chile, ChileProf. Luis Velazquez, University of Sonora, MexicoProf. Menas Wuta, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
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7///SCIENTIFIC AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITYOF TECHNOLOGY, AKUREMembersProf. Taiwo T. Amos, (Chairman) School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Prof. Oyedapo A. Fagbenro, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria;Prof. Olabode T. Adebayo, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria;Prof. Ahmed A. Balogun, West African School on Climate and Adapted Land Use, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria;Dr. Ife A. Balogun, Centre for Space Research and Application, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; Dr. M. Lydia Adeleke, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria; andDr. Harrison Charo Karisa, WorldFish Country Director, Egypt and Nigeria.///CONTACT POINT FORSCIENTIFIC INPUTS, STRATEGIC COOPERATION AND GUIDANCE ON PUBLICATIONAll questions related to scientific inputs and strategic partnershipsshould be sent to:Walter Leal (BSc, PhD, DSc, DPhil, DEd, DLitt, FSB, FRGS, FLS)Professor of Environment and TechnologySchool of Science and the EnvironmentE-mail: w.leal@mmu.ac.ukAll questions related to abstracts, should be sent to:Svenja Scheday: info@iccip.net///CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATOR AND CONTACT POINT FOR FURTHER DETAILSAll questions related to registrations should be sent to:Dr. Mihaela SimaInstitute of GeographyRomanian Academy E-mail: simamik@yahoo.com
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8HOW TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT An abstract should be up to 200 words, it should describe the rationale and aims of the paper, and some of its results. General descriptions of broad contexts should be avoided. The full contact details about the author(s) need to be provided. Abstracts should be written in the third person and not in the first or second one (e.g. I, me, or my paper). Please see below a sample abstract. Authors whose abstracts have been accepted, will receive further details about how to submit their full papers, and further logistical information.SAMPLE ABSTRACT(PLEASE SEND YOUR ABSTRACT EXACTLY WITH THE FORMAT BELOW TO:Dr Jelena Barbir:jelena@barbir.com.es)Promoting Climate Change Adaptation in Developing Countries: breaking misconceptions and addressing information needsWalter Leal (BSc, PhD, DSc, DPhil, DEd, DLitt, FSB, FRGS, FLS)School of Scienceand the EnvironmentManchester Metropolitan UniversityChester StreetManchester, M1 5GDUnited KingdomE-mail: info@iccip.netAbstractThe impacts of climate change to natural ecosystems, infra-structure and livelihood, means that the implementation of climate change adaptation strategies in developing countries has become a pressing issue. Among other factors, the undertaking of adaptation strategies is made difficult by the general lack of awareness and spread misconceptions about the real impacts of climate change which, in turn, slow down the execution of the adaptation initiatives needed, and which may ameliorate them. This paper presents an analysis about the misconceptions related to the implementation of climate change adaptation strategies, and describes the most widespread ones, as well as their implications. A special emphasis is given to the problems and barriers caused by misinformation, which –in turn-prevent the promotion of adaptation initiatives at local level. Finally, some concrete steps which may be taken in order to break the misconceptions and foster a more systematic view of adaptation strategies, are outlined. Experiences gathered in this paper will be useful to people and organisations interested in the different levels of responses given to climate changes threats, and on some of the tools which may be used to encourage specific action to adapt to changing climate conditions

Events

WASCAL ALUMNI HOMECOMING – Call For Application

2018-05-30 – 16:29h to 2018-07-01 – 16:29h

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The 2018 WASCAL Alumni Home-Coming is slated for August 15-16, 2018.

Fifty(50) alumni are expected to participate in the two days conference in Accra to reflect on “Climate Change Adaptation in West Africa: The Footprint of WASCAL”.

selected current students within the WASCAL programme are also expected to participate in the event.

Among the activities expected to take place include”Paper presentations on Climate Change thematic areas and Entrepreneurship as well as soft skills development on proposal writing and cross country thematic workshops.”

Further details will be communicated soon.

Interested persons should send their letter of expression of interest and current curriculum vitae by email on or before July 1, 2018 to:

Director of Capacity Building,

West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use,

Accra Office,

CSIR Office Complex, 6 Agostino Neto Road,

Airport Residential Area,

Accra, Ghana.

Email: capacitybp@wascal.org; adelegan.j@wascal.org,

Copy: weto.s@wascal.org; odame.g@wascal.org

Events

OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF WASCAL ALUMNI INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 2018/2019

2018-05-30 – 12:35h to 2018-07-01 – 12:35h

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West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a large-scale research-focused Climate Service Center designed to help tackle severe challenges posed by climate change and thereby enhance the resilience of human and environmental systems to climate change and increased variability. It does so by strengthening the research infrastructure and capacity in West Africa related to climate change and by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. The WASCAL Capacity Building Program through the Graduate studies program handle helps educate the next generation of scientists attain an intimate knowledge of different climate related issues in order to help the region develop suitable management strategies.

Moreover, 258 students have been admitted into the 10 WASCAL graduate schools. WASCAL graduate schools have conferred in total 196 postgraduate degrees. An alumni email group and facebook page for friends of WASCAL already exist.

WASCAL’s alumni are engaged in research institutions and academia, climate service organizations and non-governmental organizations. More than half of the alumni are in research organizations and academia with long term positive externalities and multiplier effects in producing more climate scientists.

WASCAL offers an internship program for alumni in relevant government ministries. For 10 of the doctoral awardees, WASCAL can provide support for 3 months internship with the relevant ministries and government departments. This will help to integrate the earlier career scientists into understanding the peculiar climate change challenges confronting the countries and enable them to provide solution to their countries.

Alumni interns will spend 2-3 months with the relevant ministries and government departments in their countries. During this time they support the relevant government ministries or department in their field of expertise especially putting into practice their research findings on climate change adaptation in the climate change thematic areas in their countries. At the end of the internship, alumni interns are expected to provide a field report of the internship, while their supervisors in the relevant government ministries will provide a letter detailing the accomplishments of the interns while working with the government ministries or departments for the 2-3 months internship.

Selection Criteria

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

i) Hold a PhD degree from any of the WASCAL Doctoral research program (DRP)

ii) Have one publications in a refereed journal.

Applicants whose research findings overlaps with the national development plan of the host country and government ministry or department and relates to any aspect of Climate Change adaptation and mitigation issues in West Africa are preferable

Application Procedure

Applications should include the following:

i) A letter stating what the alumni wishes to do while in the relevant government ministries or department and how the relevant ministries will benefit from the internship;

ii) An invitation letter from the relevant government ministries or department offering to host the alumni for 2 -3 months.

iii) The curriculum vitae of the alumni and .

iv) A copy of the publication of the alumnus and how it relates to the relevant the relevant government ministries or department.

Financial Assistance

Alumni will be provided with a desk and computer by the relevant government ministries or department. A modest stipend of 500 euro per month will be provided by WASCAL to cover the cost of living during the internship.

Closing Date for Applications: 1st July 2018.

Selected applicants will be informed by email of the final decision within four weeks of the closing deadline. The selected applicants must confirm their decision to take up WASCAL’s offer two weeks after being contacted.

All applications should be sent by email addressed to:

Director of Capacity Building,

West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use,

Accra Office,

CSIR Office Complex, 6 Agostino Neto Road,

Airport Residential Area,

Accra, Ghana.

Email: capacitybp@wascal.org; adelegan.j@wascal.org,

Copy: weto.s@wascal.org; odame.g@wascal.org

Events News

SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM – Call for participation

2018-05-14 – 22:00h to 2018-05-26 – 17:20h

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1. The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is an inter- governmental organization dealing with training, capacity building and research to devise tools and services that will help reduce risks from natural disasters (e.g. droughts, floods) and strengthen the resilience of socio-ecological landscapes across West Africa. To fulfil its mission, WASCAL has (i) established a strong network of Graduate School Programs (GSP) in 10 ECOWAS member states (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo) in collaboration with their public universities; (ii) rolled out a first-class research program from 2013 to 2017 which established field laboratories, on-site ecological and agronomic field experiments and hydro-meteorological stations for standard climate measurements in the Sudanian savanna belt (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana).

The outputs of these initiatives were expected to provide insights into social and environmental drivers of climate change and climate variability (CC&CV) along with pathways to strengthening the adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers and improve their livelihoods. Recently, WASCAL has re-focused its research program to make it more development- and impact-oriented by addressing the main challenges faced by policy-makers, stakeholders, smallholders (end-users) in connection with CC&CV and generate quick wins in terms of climate and environmental services provision within the next few years.

In order to transition towards the new strategic plan, a scientific gathering seems necessary to take stock of the achievements and interact with key stakeholders prior to deploying the new program. Therefore, the WASCAL Science Symposium (WASS) aims to showcase WASCAL achievements and launch the new research program termed as WASCAL Research Action Plan 2018-2021.

2. Expected outputs
The expected outputs of the symposium include the following:
• A catalogue of the major achievements of WASCAL and their contribution to delivering climate and environmental services (CES)
• A report on the state-of-the art of CES implemented in West Africa to combat the devastating impacts of CC&CV
• Official launch of WASCAL Research and Action Plan (WRAP) 2.0 call for proposals
• Reinforcement of WASCAL ties with policy makers, ECOWAS, Africa Union and other key stakeholders active in Climate Service domain.

3.Target audience
• West African doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with less than 10 years’ experience
• Scientists and stakeholders working in any area of climate change and climate service provision
•Policy makers
• Donors
• Civil society.

4. Call for abstracts
Potential participants are encouraged to submit abstracts for consideration. They will have the opportunity to present results of their research activities in an oral or poster session. Twenty-five (25) participants will be chosen for oral presentations (20 min + discussion) while the others will participate in the poster session.

• Deadline: Abstracts may be submitted until May 26, 2018 and must include (in English):
– a letter of motivation (max. 300 words, Microsoft word format)
– abstract of presentation (max 500 words, Microsoft word format), including preference for oral or poster session
• Applicants will be informed about the acceptance or rejection of their abstract by May 31st.
Complete applications may be submitted to the following addresses: forkuor.g@wascal.org;

neya.o@wascal.org.

5. Symposium programme in a nutshell
Tuesday, 19/06 Wednesday, 20/06 Thursday, 21/06
High Profille Forum Oral and poster session Plenary session on climate services
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Opening Session Opening ceremony Recap of day 2
Plenary session 1 Parallel session 1 Plenary session 1
Plenary session 2 Parallel session 2 Plenary session 2
Plenary session 3 Parallel session 3 Plenary session 3
Plenary session 4 Parallel session 4 Plenary session 4
Plenary session 5 Poster session Plenary session 5

6. Symposium details
High Profile Forum: “Achieving sustainable development under a changing and variable climate in West Africa”

• Climate Change and its potential impact on key developement sectors of West Africa
• Climate Change as a threat to the development of West African States
• Climate Change and food security in West Africa: demand for integrated Climate Services
• Impacts of climate change on cocoa production in Ghana: mitigating adverse effects through agroforestry-based options
• Mainstreaming climate services into African Union development plan through effective science-policy dialogue

Parallel poster and oral sessions
• Theme 1: Agriculture and Food security
• Theme 2: Climate Monitoring and Disaster Risk Reduction
• Theme 3: Water Resources Management
• Theme 4: Renewable Energy
• Theme 5: Resilient Socio-Ecological Landscapes

Plenary sessions on WASCAL
• WASCAL in a nutshell
• Achievements of the Capacity Building Program
• Achievements of the first research Program
• The new Resarch Program: WASCAL Reaecrh and Action Plan 2018-2021 (WRAP 2.0)

Plenary sessions on climate services

• Delivering on Climate Services‘ promises in West Africa: what is the current situation?
• Effectiveness of Climate Smart Agriculture in improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers
• Pathways towards setting up tailored-climate service delivery systems in West Africa
• Strategies to scale up demand-driven climate services in West Africa
• West Africa under the global warming scenario: what solutions from the Paris Agreement?

Events

WASCAL VISITING SCHOLARS PROGRAMME 2018/2019 CALL FOR APPLICATION

2018-04-30 – 11:41h to 2018-06-01 – 17:00h
West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, (WASCAL) is a large-scale research-focused Climate Service Center designed to help tackle severe challenges posed by climate change and thereby enhance the resilience of human and environmental systems to climate change and increased variability. It does so by strengthening the research infrastructure and capacity in West Africa related to climate change and by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. The WASCAL Capacity Building Program through the Graduate studies program handle helps educate the next generation of scientists attain an intimate knowledge of different climate related issues in order to help the region develop suitable management strategies.

WASCAL offers a visiting scholars programme to give qualified scholars an opportunity to work on research topics related to Climate Change adaptation and mitigation issues, to distill a publishable journal article from their recent research or to visit a laboratory abroad for data analysis.

Scholars will spend 2-3 months in an institution in Germany, at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States of America or Italy or International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Italy. During this time they will prepare one or more papers for publication on line in the WASCAL Capacity building working paper series, and present a seminar in their field of research at the host institution.

Selection criteria:
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
i) Hold a PhD degree and be involved in active research in Climate Change thematic areas.
ii) Be affiliated with an academic institution or research centre located in West Africa Africa;
iii) Publications in refereed journals.
We prefer applicants whose research overlaps with the current research programme of the host institution, but we remain open to proposals on all aspects of Climate Change adaptation and mitigation issues in West Africa.

Application Procedure
Applications should include the following:
i) A letter stating what the applicant wishes to do while in a University in Germany, at NASA in the US or at ICTP in Italy including proposed title(s) of paper(s) they intend to write and outlines if available;
ii) Copy of any publication on Climate Change thematic areas;
iii) Copy of their updated curriculum vitae.

Financial Assistance
Visiting fellows will be provided with a desk and computer, and with access to the internet and university libraries and laboratory. A modest stipend will be provided to cover the cost of a plane ticket and the cost of living while in Germany, US or Italy. The programme does not cover expenses related to dependents.
Application procedure

Closing date for applications: 1st June 2018.
Selected applicants will be informed by email of the final decision within four weeks of the closing deadline. The selected applicants must confirm their decision to take up WASCAL’s offer two weeks after being contacted.

All applications should be sent by email addressed to:
Director of Capacity Building,
West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use,
Accra Office,
CSIR Office Complex, 6 Agostino Neto Road,
Airport Residential Area,
Accra, Ghana.
Email: capacitybp@wascal.org; adelegan.j@wascal.org,
Copy: weto.s@wascal.org; odame.g@wascal.org

Events

“COSPAR” CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP 2017

2017-06-12 – 08:45h to 2017-06-23 – 17:00h
WASCAL in collaboration with NASA and the University of Missouri – Kansas City, will be conducting a Capacity Building Workshop on „Interdisciplinary Remote Sensing, Modeling, and Validation of Environmental Processes“ from June 12 -23, 2017. This workshop, primarily sponsored by the International Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and WASCAL, is aimed at enabling that extensive knowledge base, capacity, and results developed under major international research programmes/projects to be transferred to young professionals and graduate students in West Africa. By interacting very closely, during a period of two weeks, with experienced professionals in space-based interdisciplinary research, which is in its infancy in West Africa, these young scientists will be equipped to pursue similar collaborative scientific research paradigms within their regions. This will provide an excellent avenue to maximize the societal benefits that result from such interdisciplinary research efforts. Major American and European space missions will be addressed, including: Landsat, Terra, Aqua, Aura, Meteosat, Calipso, and SMAP.

WASCAL is a large-scale research-focused Climate Service Centre designed to help tackle severe challenges posed by climate change and thereby enhance the resilience of human and environmental systems to climate change and increased variability. It does so by strengthening the research infrastructure and capacity in West Africa related to climate change and by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. The WASCAL Capacity Building Programme through the Graduate studies programme helps to educate the next generation of scientists in West Africa to attain an intimate knowledge of different climate related issues in order to help the region develop suitable management strategies. WASCAL’s graduate studies programmes (GRPs) are implemented in ten leading Universities across 10 West African countries.

Learn more

Events News

WORKSHOP ON EARTH OBSERVATION TECHNOLOGY FOR EFFECTIVE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT WITH FOCUS ON WATER FOR AGRICULTURE

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2017-06-07 – 08:00h to 2017-06-09 – 05:00h

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WASCAL, in collaboration with the European Space Agency’s (ESA) TIGER initiative, the University of Twente – ITC Faculty, GeoVille and the University of Energy and Natural Resources, is pleased to announce a 3-day training workshop on the use of earth observation data for effective natural resource and agricultural management in Africa.

The workshop will focus on the exploitation of the data from ESA’s satellite sensors which provide global scale optical and radar data at no cost to the user ((https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/web/sentinel/home). The workshop will aim at demonstrating the capabilities and application areas of data from the Sentinel satellites, introduce participants to new and open source tools/applications for processing the data and discuss the sustainable application of earth observation data in natural resource and agricultural management in Ghana and Africa.

Target audience: Geospatial analyst and practitioners in governmental ministries/institutions, the private sector and postgraduate students.

The outcome of this workshop will be an improvement in decision making at all level of national development and an increase in societal benefits from the use of earth observation technology.

For further enquiries, please contact: forkuor.g(at)wascal.org and copy weto.s(at)wascal.org.

Events News Vacancies

WE ARE HIRING AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

2017-06-01 – 14:00h to 2017-06-30 – 17:00h

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West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, WASCAL is a research and education-focused institute designed to provide knowledge and climate services that should help tackle the climate change challenge and thereby enhance the resilience of human and environmental systems. It does so by strengthening the research capacity and infrastructure in West Africa related to climate change by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. The West African countries include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d‘Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.

WASCAL has its headquarters in Accra, Ghana from where it coordinates 10 graduate schools at different universities in the region. WASCAL also has a Competence Centre in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where it manages climate research activities.

Job Summary
Under the supervision of the Director of Research and Head of WASCAL Competence Centre, the Executive Assistant will be responsible for providing clerical and administrative support services. He/She must be creative and enjoy working within a small, dynamic environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal person will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with a strong bilingual (English/French) written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The Executive Assistant will have the ability to work independently on projects and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle wide varieties and confidential matters with discretion.

Key task of the position include:

The Executive Assistant will :
• Serve as the primary point of contact of all matters pertaining to the office of the Director of Research and Head of Competence Centre,
• Also serve as a liaison officer to the research and management teams,
• Manage the diary of the Director of Research and Head of Competence Centre,
• Oversees specials projects that may be assigned,
• Participate and assist in the planning and organisation of specific meetings, conferences and external relations efforts and report appropriately,
• Translation of documents (French/English) ,
• Maintain the general filing system and file all correspondence appropriately for ease of reference,
• Any other duties that may be assigned.

Competences required:

Strong skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail,• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, external partners and donors,• Expert level written and verbal communication skills in English, French. Having a smattering of German will be an added advantage,• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability,• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently,• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands,• Demonstrate ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fest paced environment,• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.Education and Experience Requirements:• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in administration and management or related field,• Masters’ degree in administration will be an added advantage,• Strong tenure: Minimum five years of experience supporting Executives,• Experience and interest in internal and external communications, partnership development,• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Social Media web platforms.

Application procedure:
Applications letters, curriculum vitae and support documents (diplomas /certificates) with names and addresses of three referees should be emailed to candidature@wascal.org. Please indicate “Executive Assistant-CC” in the subject line.

Applications will be accepted up to the 30th June, 2017.

This is a local position and it will be based at the WASCAL Competence Centre, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Applications will be acknowledged, but only short listed candidates will be contacted.

Events News West Africa

HYDRO-CLIMATE AND REMOTE SENSING TRAINING OPPORTUNITY FOR WEST AFRICAN STUDENTS & EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS

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2017-03-14 – 08:00h to 2017-03-21 – 16:00h

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TRAINING OPPORTUNITY: HYDRO-CLIMATE AND REMOTE SENSING FOR WEST AFRICAN STUDENTS & EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS

A fundamental goal of WASCAL is the improvement of West African livelihoods by supporting research, capacity building and decision making with cutting-edge knowledge on climate change and adapted land use. Consequently, many research and services provision activities of WASCAL focus on the development, extension and validation of research-based methods, technologies and adaptation options in the field of hydrology, meteorology, agriculture, biodiversity, remote sensing, and climate modelling amongst others.

In light of the consolidation phase of the core research programme (CRP), the WASCAL Competence Centre in Burkina Faso (WASCAL CoC) is jointly organising a hydro-climate & remote sensing training course in partnership with its German partners KIT/IMK-IFU, University of Augsburg, DLR and DKRZ.

WHO CAN ATTEND?

WASCAL students and scientists but also up to 10 additional seats are available for other students and early career scientists working in the field of meteorology, hydrology and remote sensing.

SESSIONS & FACILITATORS:

· SESSION I- Climate and Eddy-covariance stations of the Core Research Program: Specifications, data availability & maintenance (Berger S, Salack S)

· SESSION II- Station-based precipitation database, related gridded datasets and their retrieval from WADI (Bliefernicht J, Salack S)

· SESSION III- Introduction to algorithms to retrieve precipitation information from commercial microwave link: Fundamentals, data acquisition system & algorithms (Boose Y)

· SESSION IV- Remote sensing: Selected methods and tools for derivation of land surface characteristics for West Africa, and introduction of WASCAL-EUMETCAST antenna (Gessner U, Forkuor G)

· SESSION V- Climate model data and metadata: planting, growing and harvesting in the WASCAL Data Discovery and CERA/WDCC Portals (Hamann I)

· SESSION VI- Regionally adapted and fully coupled Regional Climate Model simulations (WRF, WRF-HYDRO description, data needs, case studies) (Kunstmann H)

SESSION VII- An analysis of high resolution regional climate simulation results and its retrieval from WADI (Olusegun C)
SESSION VIII- Fundamental objectives and principles of RCM bias correction (Laux P, Lorenz M)

TRAINING COST

The training course is free. Funding for the course covers only training, coffee breaks and lunch for participants. Therefore, every participant is expected to bear the cost of his/her transportation, breakfast, dinner and accommodation.

OTHER CONDITIONS FOR APPLICANTS

Beside WINDOWS operating system, the potential participants must also be familiar with Linux/Unix operating system. Having a basic programming skill is an advantage (e.g. MATLAB, FORTRAN, PYTHON, bash scripting, etc.). To participate, please send a motivation letter and an updated curriculum vitae (1 page max.) to sylla.b(at)wascal.org and cc to salack.s(at)wascal.org with the subject line “CoC March training” before 28th of February 2017, 16h30 GMT.

During the coffee and lunch breaks there will be time for poster presentations and scientific discussions. The participants should therefore prepare and bring a poster to the training course showing their current research.

DATE & VENUE

The training sessions will be held from 14th to 21st of March 2017 in the Conference room of WASCAL Competence Centre, Blvd Moammar El-Khadafi, 06 BP 9507 Ouagadougou 06, Burkina Faso. The language of instruction will be English.

CONTACT

For more information please contact commey.n(at)wascal.org

Events

ATELIER DE MISE EN RESEAU ET VALIDATION DES PROTOCOLES DU PROJET APTE-21

2017-02-2823:00h

Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou

L’atelier de « Test du réseau et validation des protocoles du projet APTE-21 » s’adresse aux partenaires traditionnels du projet (DGM, ANACIM, ENDA, bureaux des bassins WASCAL de Dano et Bolgatanga, DDA, HydroScience, CIRAD, LOCEAN, IRD), le conseil scientifique FSP-AGRICORA et autres acteurs potentiels (EcoClimaSol, Airtel/TELMOB, ORANGE, MTN). Il est également ouvert au media et autres personnes ressources dont les contributions serviront les objectifs des travaux.
Condition de participation

La participation à cet atelier se fait sur invitation par le bureau de la coordination à WASCAL Competence Center (WASCAL CoC). Pour toute information complémentaire, il faut envoyer un courriel à l’adresse suivante : Dr. Seyni SALACK, Coordinateur du projet APTE-21, apte21.agricora(at)gmail.com, salack.s(at)wascal.org ou appeler le +226-25-37-54-23/29/39.

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