UK-based equipment manufacturer Wagtech Projects has completed the installation of 40 automatic weather stations (AWS) as part of the Southern African Regional Climate Information Services for Disaster Resilience Development (SARCIS-DR) project.
Working with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the project scope included supply, installation, commissioning and training for the 40 stations situated in 10 different African countries and East African islands. This included Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Each AWS transmits data to two different servers simultaneously. This enables each country to safely collect and analyze its own meteorological data while a central server at the SADC headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana, receives an additional set of complete data from all 10 countries for a more holistic study of the region.
The project will work toward SADC Disaster Risk Management programs which involve strategic initiatives to counter the effects of natural disasters and food insecurity.