The Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (BMBF) has awarded scholarships to 100 postgraduate students to pursue thematic courses in Climate Change in West Africa.
The Executive Director of WASCAL, Dr. Laurent Sedogo has admonished beneficiaries of WASCAL scholarship postgraduate program to do everything possible to benefit fully from the opportunities that have been presented to them.
“I implore you to concentrate on your studies. The main reason why you have chosen this path is to pursue you academics. Study very hard and make sure you finish your program. ”
He stated Dr. Sedogo was speaking at the Capacity Building Meeting and Fifth Introductory Seminar on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use to formally welcome the 2016/2017 batch of graduate students in Accra.
He further entreated students to hoist the flag of WASCAL high by being law abiding students, and conform to the rules and regulations of each university they find themselves.
Hundred students from within West Africa have been given full scholarship to pursue various courses on Climate Change thematic areas as follows: Climate Change and Land Use, Economics, Energy, Biodiversity, Adapted Land Use, Education, Agriculture, Human Security and Water Resources.
He further alerted them that the whole idea of WASCAL is to build the next generation of scientists who will help fight issues pertaining to climate change and adapted land use.
WASCAL is a West African International organization that is building the next generation of scientists to influence policies in West Africa on climate change. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany (BMBF).
As part of efforts to strengthen West Africa’s human resource capacities to analyze regional climate change impacts, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany, (BMBF) has given scholarships to 100 postgraduate students to pursue courses in Climate Change thematic areas in West Africa.
The program is managed by the Capacity Building Department of West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL).
The students, who will be studying in 10 of the highest universities in West Africa, expressed delight about the opportunity given them by BMBF through WASCAL. They pledged to fully maximize for their future and that of West Africa.
The scholarship also forms part of WASCAL’s commitment to training and building the capacity of the next generation of African scientists to champion the fight against climate change, while influencing governments and policy makers.
The graduate program also aims at designing strategies to adapt to threats, opportunities and uncertainties of climate change within the region.
The 100 students, comprising 60 Doctoral Research Program and 40 Master’s Research Program Students were drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Togo, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire. They will be moving into their various universities, depending on the climate change thematic courses they have chosen to pursue.
This is the third batch of students admitted into the WASCAL program since the inception of the WASCAL Capacity Building Program in 2012. So far 255 students have benefited from the scholarship program. The postgraduate program is a partnership between 10 West African Universities and selected German Institutions.
The West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a large scale research focused Climate Service Centre mandated to help tackle the challenges of climate change in West Africa.
It was established by its member countries- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Mali and Togo- with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
With the vision of becoming one of Africa’s leading name in the provision of climate change services in and for West Africa, WASCAL is organized around three principal departments: Climate Service Department, The Research Department and the Capacity Building Department.
As part of efforts to strengthen West Africa’s human resource capacities to analyze regional climate change impacts, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany, (BMBF) has given scholarships to 100 postgraduate students to pursue courses in Climate Change thematic areas in West Africa.
The program is managed by the Capacity Building Department of West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL).
The students, who will be studying in 10 of the highest universities in West Africa, expressed delight about the opportunity given them by BMBF through WASCAL. They pledged to fully maximize for their future and that of West Africa.
The scholarship also forms part of WASCAL’s commitment to training and building the capacity of the next generation of African scientists to champion the fight against climate change, while influencing governments and policy makers.
The graduate program also aims at designing strategies to adapt to threats, opportunities and uncertainties of climate change within the region.
The 100 students, comprising 60 Doctoral Research Program and 40 Master’s Research Program Students were drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Togo, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire. They will be moving into their various universities, depending on the climate change thematic courses they have chosen to pursue.
This is the third batch of students admitted into the WASCAL program since the inception of the WASCAL Capacity Building Program in 2012. So far 255 students have benefited from the scholarship program. The postgraduate program is a partnership between 10 West African Universities and selected German Institutions.
The West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a large scale research focused Climate Service Centre mandated to help tackle the challenges of climate change in West Africa.
It was established by its member countries- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Mali and Togo- with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
With the vision of becoming one of Africa’s leading name in the provision of climate change services in and for West Africa, WASCAL is organized around three principal departments: Climate Service Department, The Research Department and the Capacity Building Department.
As part of efforts to strengthen West Africa’s human resource capacities to analyze regional climate change impacts, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany, (BMBF) has given scholarships to 100 postgraduate students to pursue courses in Climate Change thematic areas in West Africa.
The program is managed by the Capacity Building Department of West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL).
The students, who will be studying in 10 of the highest universities in West Africa, expressed delight about the opportunity given them by BMBF through WASCAL. They pledged to fully maximize for their future and that of West Africa.
The scholarship also forms part of WASCAL’s commitment to training and building the capacity of the next generation of African scientists to champion the fight against climate change, while influencing governments and policy makers.
The graduate program also aims at designing strategies to adapt to threats, opportunities and uncertainties of climate change within the region.
The 100 students, comprising 60 Doctoral Research Program and 40 Master’s Research Program Students were drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Togo, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire. They will be moving into their various universities, depending on the climate change thematic courses they have chosen to pursue.
This is the third batch of students admitted into the WASCAL program since the inception of the WASCAL Capacity Building Program in 2012. So far 255 students have benefited from the scholarship program. The postgraduate program is a partnership between 10 West African Universities and selected German Institutions.
The West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a large scale research focused Climate Service Centre mandated to help tackle the challenges of climate change in West Africa.
It was established by its member countries- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Mali and Togo- with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
With the vision of becoming one of Africa’s leading name in the provision of climate change services in and for West Africa, WASCAL is organized around three principal departments: Climate Service Department, The Research Department and the Capacity Building Department.
The students, who will be studying in 10 of the highest universities in West Africa, expressed delight for the opportunity given them by BMBF through WASCAL. They pledged to fully maximize it to the benefit of the career and West Africa as a whole.
The scholarship also forms part of WASCAL’s commitment to training and building the capacity of the next generation of African scientists to champion the fight against climate change, while influencing governments and policy makers. The graduate program also aims at designing strategies to adapt to threats, opportunities and uncertainties of climate change within the region.
The 100 students, comprising 60 Doctoral Research Program and 40 Master’s Research Program Students were drawn from Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Togo, Benin, The Gambia, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire. They will be moving into their various universities, depending on the climate change thematic courses they have chosen to pursue.
This is the third batch of students admitted into the WASCAL program since the inception of the WASCAL Capacity Building Program in 2012. So far 255 students have benefited from the scholarship program. The postgraduate program is a partnership between 10 West African Universities and selected German Institutions.
Dakar, 7 mars (APS) – L’Afrique de l’Ouest peut contrecarrer les effets en misant sur les sciences orientées vers l’agriculture, l’eau et l’énergie, a soutenu, lundi, à Dakar, l’universitaire allemand Joachim Von Braun.
“Il faut orienter les sciences et les recherches vers l’agriculture, l’eau et les énergies pour trouver des solutions intelligentes, capables de faire face au changement climatique qui affecte tous les secteurs de développement en Afrique de l’Ouest”, a-t-il préconisé.
Joachim Von Braun, enseignant au Centre de recherches pour le développement (ZEF) de l’Université de Bonn, s’adressait à des journalistes, en marge d’une visite du secrétaire d’Etat allemand chargé de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la recherche, Dr George Shutte.
Dans le cadre de ce déplacement au Sénégal, M.Shutte a visité le Centre de service ouest-africain pour le changement climatique et l’utilisation adaptée des sols (WASCAL, en anglais) dont Joachim Von Braun est le co-président.
Ce centre hébergé par l’Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) de Dakar abrite une Ecole doctorale en économie du changement climatique depuis 2010. Il fait partie des 10 écoles financées par le ministère allemand de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (BMBF), dans le cadre d’un réseau de partenariats diversifiés.
WASCAL veut contribuer à la formation d’une nouvelle génération de chercheurs et au renforcement des capacités des décideurs politiques africains dans le domaine du changement climatique et de la gestion des terres.
Ce centre “doit prendre les devants dans le combat de l’Afrique de l’Ouest contre le changement climatique, en élaborant des stratégies d’adaptation et d’atténuation adéquates”, a soutenu Dr Von Braun, professeur au Centre de recherches pour le développement (ZEF) de l’Université de Bonn.
Selon le professeur Braun, la prise en compte des nouvelles technologies “constitue une dimension importante dans la recherche de solutions contre les effets néfastes des changements de climat”. Cette dynamique devrait encourager la coopération entre scientifiques sénégalais et allemands, a-t-il fait valoir.
Le changement climatique atteint “une proportion sérieuse” en Afrique de l’Ouest, à travers des secteurs tels que l’agriculture, l’élevage, la pêche, le tourisme, a de son côté indiqué le professeur Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, directeur du WASCAL.
Partant de ce que les pays africains subissent les effets du changement climatique alors qu’ils ne sont pas émetteur de quantités importantes de gaz à effet de serre, le gouvernement allemand a mis en place un fond carbone, a-t-il souligné.
Celui-ci a permis de financer 10 écoles ouest-africaines dont l’Ecole doctorale sur l’économie du changement climatique de l’Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, a expliqué M.Mbaye.
Dakar, 7 mars (APS) – L’Afrique de l’Ouest peut contrecarrer les effets en misant sur les sciences orientées vers l’agriculture, l’eau et l’énergie, a soutenu, lundi, à Dakar, l’universitaire allemand Joachim Von Braun.
“Il faut orienter les sciences et les recherches vers l’agriculture, l’eau et les énergies pour trouver des solutions intelligentes, capables de faire face au changement climatique qui affecte tous les secteurs de développement en Afrique de l’Ouest”, a-t-il préconisé.
Joachim Von Braun, enseignant au Centre de recherches pour le développement (ZEF) de l’Université de Bonn, s’adressait à des journalistes, en marge d’une visite du secrétaire d’Etat allemand chargé de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la recherche, Dr George Shutte.
Dans le cadre de ce déplacement au Sénégal, M.Shutte a visité le Centre de service ouest-africain pour le changement climatique et l’utilisation adaptée des sols (WASCAL, en anglais) dont Joachim Von Braun est le co-président.
Ce centre hébergé par l’Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) de Dakar abrite une Ecole doctorale en économie du changement climatique depuis 2010. Il fait partie des 10 écoles financées par le ministère allemand de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (BMBF), dans le cadre d’un réseau de partenariats diversifiés.
WASCAL veut contribuer à la formation d’une nouvelle génération de chercheurs et au renforcement des capacités des décideurs politiques africains dans le domaine du changement climatique et de la gestion des terres.
Ce centre “doit prendre les devants dans le combat de l’Afrique de l’Ouest contre le changement climatique, en élaborant des stratégies d’adaptation et d’atténuation adéquates”, a soutenu Dr Von Braun, professeur au Centre de recherches pour le développement (ZEF) de l’Université de Bonn.
Selon le professeur Braun, la prise en compte des nouvelles technologies “constitue une dimension importante dans la recherche de solutions contre les effets néfastes des changements de climat”. Cette dynamique devrait encourager la coopération entre scientifiques sénégalais et allemands, a-t-il fait valoir.
Le changement climatique atteint “une proportion sérieuse” en Afrique de l’Ouest, à travers des secteurs tels que l’agriculture, l’élevage, la pêche, le tourisme, a de son côté indiqué le professeur Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, directeur du WASCAL.
Partant de ce que les pays africains subissent les effets du changement climatique alors qu’ils ne sont pas émetteur de quantités importantes de gaz à effet de serre, le gouvernement allemand a mis en place un fond carbone, a-t-il souligné.
Celui-ci a permis de financer 10 écoles ouest-africaines dont l’Ecole doctorale sur l’économie du changement climatique de l’Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, a expliqué M.Mbaye.
environewsnigeria.com 02-03-16
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The Federal University of Technology in Minna (FUT Minna), Niger State has produced its second set (or ‘Batch B’) of graduates under a special scheme being bankrolled by the German government.
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The Federal University of Technology in Minna (FUT Minna), Niger State has produced its second set (or ‘Batch B’) of graduates under a special scheme being bankrolled by the German government.
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The Federal University of Technology in Minna (FUT Minna), Niger State has produced its second set (or ‘Batch B’) of graduates under a special scheme being bankrolled by the German government.
Tagged the Master Programme on Climate Change and Adapted Landuse (CC&ALU), it is being implemented under the West African Centre for Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) initiative involving Nigeria and several other countries in the sub-region.
The 2013 batch of 10 WASCAL graduates joined 2,741 others at the 25th Convocation Ceremony of their host university in the Niger State capital recently. The graduates, who completed their programme in October 2015, returned to formally participate in this year’s graduation ceremony as they joined 464 other Masters degree holders. But, in their case, they were awarded Master of Technology (M. Tech) in Climate Change and Adapted Land Use.
The degree was awarded after 15 months of intense course work and nine months of research, which focused on the “food basket” of Nigeria, which are the North Central states of Niger, Kogi, Nassarawa and Kwara.
The Director of the Centre in FUT Minna, Dr Appollonia Okhimamhe, one of the key objectives of WASCAL is to conduct credible research to safeguard the “food basket” of West Africa from the ravages of the impacts of climate change.
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According to her, six of these graduates were competitively selected in their various countries and would soon commence their PhD in different WASCAL host universities. She is getting set to welcome the 2016 Batch of students, 10 of whom had been selected competitively after “a very rigourous” selection process that included a “face-to-face” interview at the country level.
The graduates are: Marsanne Gloriose Bignon Allakonon (Benin), Talardia Gbangou (Burkina Faso), Gnenakantanhan Coulibaly (Cote D’Ivoire), Isaac Larbi (Ghana), Assitan Daou (Mali), Soule Moussa (Niger), Femi Oluwatosin Asonibare (Nigeria), Gloria Chiwendu Okafor (Nigeria), Dodzi Kossi Bissadu (Togo) and Séna Koglo Yawovi (Togo).
Their areas of thesis were listed to include:
Assessment of vulnerability of agroforestry trees to climate change in Niger State (Allakonon)
Analysing climate change projection on water availability for rainfed agriculture in Awan basin, Kwara State (GBangou)
Evaluation of root and tuber crops yield under the changing climate conditions in Kwara State (larbi)
Assessment of climate change and land use impact on groundwater resources in Kogi State, using GIS techniques
Assessment of the impact of climate change and land use/land cover in Kogi State (Daou)
Impact of land use and climate change in vegetation dynamics of Doma Forest Reserve in Nasarawa State (Moussa)
Site selection for urban forestry development as a mitigation of climate change in Ilorin area, Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria (Asonibare)
Household vulnerability and adaptation to water stress induced by climate change on Downstream Kaduna River Basin (Okafor)
Remote sensing and GIS-based assessment of land degradation driven by climate land use/change in Nasarawa State (Bissadu)
Assessment of crops lands changes using remote sensing and GIS and adaptation strategies to climate extremes in Lapai Local Government Area.
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Dr Okhimamhe disclosed that the vision of WASCAL on research is that at least a paper is published from the final output of each student’s masters research thesis.
Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Mubau Adewunmi Akanji, expressed the institution’s gratitude to the German Ministry of Education and Research for funding the WASCAL programme, adding that FUT Minna has kept its vision for a robust academic development.
“Our 2015 annual report offers and introspective perpective of an institution committed to promoting academic excellence through autonomous intellectual partnerships,” he disclosed.
Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali, urged the graduating students to see the degrees and grades as work in progress.
His words: “You must see your graduation today not as an end to the journey. Rather, you must see today as the beginning of the beginning. You must rise to the occasion and always aspire to do better. Opportunities and challenges await you in the world ahead.”
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Chancellor of FUT Minna, Eze Eberechi N. Dick, the Eze Udo I of Mboko Ngwa Amaise, described the event as unique in the sense that “the graduands will be the first that I will confer with degrees and diplomas as the chancellor of the university.
The Eze, who is also Chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, said: “I feel a deep sense of pride to be here with you all on this auspicious occasion where some of you who have been found worthy in character and learning are being bestowed with certificates as a reward for your academic exploits.
“As you may be aware, this university was established to provide the much-needed manpower for the development of the country in the areas of science and technology and the university has remained committed to its mandate.”
Countries under the WASCAL programme include Nigeria, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, The Gambia and Ghana.
Dr Okhimamhe described WASCAL as a regional centre for capacity building in climate change across West Africa. She added that WASCAL is also designed to help tackle challenges of climate change thereby enhancing resilience of human and environmental system to climate change and variability.