Vaisala has announced a two-year US$14m project to modernize Ethiopia’s weather and climate observation and forecasting systems.
Vaisala, a global leader in weather, environmental and industrial measurements, will deliver a turnkey meteorological solution for the National Meteorology Agency (NMA) of Ethiopia. The project expands the Ethiopian meteorological infrastructure and service provision capabilities, matching the needs for reliable early-warnings and forecasting services.
Vaisala will provide a weather radar network integrated with a high-precision lightning detection system covering western, southern, and central Ethiopia. The project will also include an observation network management system that integrates new and existing observation sources, an air quality network for the capital city of Addis Ababa, and a centralized meteorological forecast production system.
“At Vaisala, we are committed to supporting nations to adapt to the pressing challenges posed by climate change. Ethiopia faces extreme and hazardous weather events, such as droughts, floods, hail and heavy precipitation. These events are expected to increase in both frequency and intensity, and it is a privilege to help Ethiopia build its resilience and improve its adaption to climate change,” said Jarkko Sairanen, executive vice president, weather and environment, Vaisala.
“Thanks to this program, we will be able to provide better weather services to Ethiopian people. This helps to reduce loss of life and damage to property from the increasing number of extreme weather events. Furthermore, it facilitates local economic growth in important weather-sensitive sectors including agriculture, water management, and aviation,” says Fetene Teshome, director general, NMA.