From the Field Alliance forges strategic partnership with pan-African meteorological body to strengthen climate information services across the continent
The African Centre of Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD) and The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance climate information services for African farmers and communities.
This partnership brings together two organizations with complementary strengths and continental reach. ACMAD stands as the only continental climate research center recognized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) with an Africa-wide mandate, providing critical guidance to national weather services across the continent. The Alliance, with its global research portfolio and substantial presence in Africa—including 600 researchers and policy experts across 19 African countries—brings deep expertise in agricultural biodiversity and food systems transformation.
This partnership will focus on a spectrum of climate risk management solutions including:
- Advanced early warning systems that provide timely alerts about extreme weather events
- Seasonal forecasts calibrated for agricultural decision-making
- Tailored advisories that translate climate data into actionable recommendations for smallholder farmers
- Climate risk assessments that help identify vulnerabilities in farming systems
A critical focus of this collaboration will be joint resource mobilization to support the modernization of climate observation infrastructure across Africa. Current gaps in meteorological stations, data collection systems, and computing capacity limit the continent's ability to generate high-resolution climate information.
This partnership creates a vital connection in Africa's climate information ecosystem that includes ACMAD, regional climate centers such as AGRHYMET agriculture, hydrology, meteorology centre in Niger and the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), as well as national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHS).
These institutions already collaborate with ACMAD as well as other CGIAR programs such as Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA), creating a multi-layered network for climate service delivery across the continent.
A key focus of the partnership will be exploring how cutting-edge technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI), can enhance predictive climate models. These innovations aim to improve the quality, timeliness, and communication of forecasts, making climate information more accessible and relevant to end-users.
The partnership will pursue innovative funding models, including public-private partnerships, climate finance mechanisms, and targeted donor engagement. These resources will support a range of activities, including upgrades to weather observation networks and remote sensing capabilities, enhancement of computational infrastructure for climate modelling, development of integrated data platforms and knowledge management systems and capacity building programs for technical staff at national and regional levels.
"Modernizing Africa's climate information infrastructure is essential for developing locally-relevant climate services," said Dr. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General of ACMAD.
"Through this partnership, we aim to bring together technical expertise and financial resources to address these critical needs. This partnership is not just about collaboration—it is about transforming the way Africa responds to climate challenges, ensuring that science-driven solutions reach those who need them most" he added.
"With limited financial resources and infrastructures, the best adaptation strategy for African nations is anticipation through putting in place a comprehensive climate information services ecosystem" he concluded.
This partnership comes at a pivotal moment for ACMAD with the recent appointment of Dr. Ndiaye into his senior leadership role, and the emergence of CGIAR programs under its 2030 research portfolio.
The collaboration is a critical component of the CGIAR Climate Action program, with its focus on climate risk management through climate information services and early warning systems.
Aniruddha Ghosh, senior scientist at The Alliance, noted:
"By fostering collaborations with organizations across Africa, especially those which operate on continental scales like ACMAD, we can enhance the accessibility, usability, and impact of climate information services, ensuring that communities and decision-makers have the tools they need to build resilience."
Cover Photo: Dr. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General of ACMAD recently connecting with Alliance researchers at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center.
The Team
Amanda Sue Grossi
Research Team Leader for Climate Action and Resilient Food Systems
