The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, WASCAL in collaboration with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the University of Missouri – Kansas City, have organized a 12day Capacity Building Workshop on Interdisciplinary Remote Sensing, Modeling, and Validation of Environmental Processes.

Dr. Charles Ichoku from NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, expressed his delight about the workshop and assured participants that the outcome of the workshop was going to contribute immensely towards West African development.

Rev. Professor Charles Ansah, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Kwame Nkrumah University Science and Technology (KNUST) in his welcome address expressed the excitement of the University Management about the introduction of the WASCAL PhD programme in Climate Change and Land Use funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany.

He noted that, NASA-COSPAR (Committee on Space and Research) training workshop was very useful to train the next generation of scientists, enhance their knowledge and stimulate research interests in space science. Rev. Prof. Ansah stated.

“As a University, we welcome the initiative by the German Government, NASA, COSPAR and the University of Missouri – Kansas City to support the training of Africans to solve Africa’s challenges especially on issues relating to Climate Science, with particular focus on Remote Sensing Climate Modeling”. He stated.

Professor Janet Adelegan, Director for Capacity Building, WASCAL traced the history of the WASCAL-NASA collaboration and briefly explained that the workshop is aimed at building the capacity of early career scientists on remote sensing and modelling of climate data in West Africa.

This workshop, primarily sponsored by the International Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and WASCAL, with supplementary funding support from African Development Bank (AfDB), aimed at equipping students with knowledge in space-based interdisciplinary remote sensing and modelling, which is in its infancy in West Africa. Over all, nine lecturers from NASA and other Institutions in Europe and West Africa, and thirty early career scientists from WASCAL Doctoral Schools in West Africa, postgraduate students and academic faculty participated in the workshop.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Frimpong Boateng has assured the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL), of the Government of Ghana’s support to help combat climate change and improve livelihoods in Ghana specifically, and in West Africa as a whole.

The Minister indicated that the operations of WASCAL is very significant, considering the unique approach it has adopted in the fight against climate change, using research and building capacities of scientists. He said that WASCAL a West African cause and therefore, the various governments must endeavour to own it. He also pledged his support to ensure that Ghana fulfills its obligation to WASCAL by paying the outstanding country contribution.

Professor Frimpong gave this assurance when the Executive Director of WASCAL, Professor Jimmy Adegoke paid a courtesy call on his office to formally congratulate him on his appointment as the new sector Minister. The meeting was also to introduce WASCAL to the Ministry and to deliberate on building a stronger relationship between the government of Ghana and WASCAL.

Professor Adegoke reminded the Minister of the ministry’s responsibility as the permanent vice- chair of the ministerial council of WASCAL. He also entreated him to use his office to bring a sense of renewed energy in the activities and operations of WASCAL.

As part of its commitment to continue strengthening market driven Research and Development for sound Environmental Governance, Science, Technology and Innovation through intensive awareness creation, collaboration and partnerships, the government of Ghana, in February 2017, signed the Host Country Agreement with WASCAL in fulfilment of their recognition as an international organization in Ghana.

WASCAL is dedicated to becoming one of Africa’s leading institutions in the provision of climate services in and for West Africa, with a mission to provide information and knowledge services at the local, national and regional levels to its West African member countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. We do this through Capacity Building support to young West African Scholars in fields of natural and social sciences and by strengthening West African universities and climate service departments in member countries.