By Mahzouba Maya Faal
The Director of the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Coordinating Centre (NCCRM) Ms. Binta Singhateh, together with Environment and Climate Change Analyst for NCCRM, Mr. Momodou Senghore, was last week at the Office of the Vice President, to officially hand over the Open Hardware Automatic Weather Station - CADORNA configuration - to the Department of Water Resources (DWR).
The Open Hardware Automatic Weather Station – CADORNA, installed at Jambanjelly, West Coast Region, was provided through the International Centre for Environmental Monitoring (CIMA) Research Foundation in Italy .
During the handing over, the Director of NCCRM informed that the initiative was conceived during the COP28, and the weather station serves as a tangible outcome of their participation during the conference.
Under the newly established arrangement, the Department of Water Resources will assume responsibility of the operation and management of the weather station. The data generated by the station will be processed and utilised through the My Dewetra platform. This platform is not limited to the DWR but will also be accessible to the NCCRM, as well as other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture, National Disaster Management Agency, and the National Environment Agency.
Vice President Mohammed B.S Jallow expressed appreciation of the collaboration between NCCRM and its development partners during the recently concluded COP28.
He also expressed satisfaction with the work undertaken by NCCRM, specifically in coordinating this initiative to the country. He emphasised the significance of the station to the country’s environmental monitoring and disaster response capabilities.
The successful handover marks a crucial step towards enhancing The Gambia’s capacity to monitor and respond to weather-related events, ensuring the nation is better prepared for environmental challenges. The collaboration between NCCRM, CIMA Research Foundation, and the Department of Water Resources signifies a commendable effort towards fostering international cooperation for the benefit of The Gambia’s environmental resilience.
