Mr. Pascal Yaka,
Engineer of Meteorology - Burkina Faso
Regional Rapporteur on regional aspects of Climate Service,
CLIPS Focal Point of Burkina Faso.
01 B.P.: 4413 OUAGADOUGOU 01 BURKINA FASO.
Phone:
(00226) 67 13 99
Fax:
(00226) 35 60 39
E-MAIL:
pascal_yaka@yahoo.fr
REPORT OF ACTIVITIES DONE DURING THE YEAR 2003
During the year 2003, particularly in April as from the past, I was charged to work for Burkina
Faso seasonal rainfall forecast. By this opportunity, I went to Niamey in African Center for
Meteorological Application for Development (ACMAD). From ACMAD, I formed some West
Africa meteorologist colleagues in working of seasonal rainfall forecasting model with new
methodology acquired in National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) in USA. Also, I
contributed to the development of West Africa consolidated seasonal rainfall forecast.
Otherwise, it was held a workshop on climate and health, also for this purpose, I have ensured
the training of whole the participants (particularly health specialist and climatologist) in
methodology of study and investigation in Biometeorology.
When I came back for this workshop, I gave an explanatory diffusion of the results of the
seasonal rainfall forecast to political decision makers, socio-economic planners, and various
users; particularly farmers. All these explanatory have been giving during a national workshop
on Climatic Information and seasonal rainfall forecast. Moreover, thanks to the support of
Climate Forecasting for Agricultural Resources (CFAR), we identified groups of farmers in the
three climatic zones of Burkina Faso, where we went regularly to hold a meeting with them at
the beginning of rainy season in the goal to deliver the seasonal rainfall forecast result to them.
To exchange with them on the strategies of application, and optimization of theirs outputs
(harvest) and at the end of the rainy season, we organised a meeting again to make an evaluation
and draw the essentials conclusions.
By this occasion, I have made a levelling of farmers that I had formed in handling of weather
data-gathering instruments.
Being the head of Burkina Faso Multidisciplinary Cell of Research in Biometeorology (CMRB),
I decided to sensitize the political decision makers on climate and health problematic; I contacted
some research and development institutions in the goal to pack the members of the CMRB. I
also organized animation and training courses for the different members of the CMRB in
Biometeorology and climate and health topics in general.
In the fact that I am a partner of a Project on the Space Monitoring of the Epidemics Diseases in
West Africa (S2E ARGOS), I in charge of the supervision of the climatic data-gathering in
Burkina Faso and Niger. So, I have trained the medical personnel (male and female nurses) of
these countries implied in this project in handling of weather data-gathering instruments and
methodology of weather data acquisition.
During the rainy season, I have ensured tasks of daily forecast, analysis of radars data and cloud
seeding for national cloud seeding program.
PROJECT OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT FOR THE YEAR 2004.
For the year 2004, I am planning to go to Paris in the UMR 8586 of National Scientific
Research Center (CNRS) to take some training for two or three months for a thesis studies in
climate and health (University Paris 1) thanks to a partnership of formation - action framework
between UMR 8586 and ACMAD.
I will apply myself to work a draft study on urban pollution with the support of ministry of the
Environment, Medias France. So, I will contribute to the supervision of data-gathering of urban
pollution as well as the training of agents on the matter.
I intend to form a national cell of study and research in seasonal rainfall forecast and to make
research directed towards small scale seasonal rainfall forecasting (downscalling) in the goal to
undertake into account of farmers concerns and also, to continue to assist them in climatic
forecast.
I am planning to create an institutional framework for the creation of Environnement/ClimatHealth data bank in the goal to facilitate studies and research to be undertaken for elaboration of
a space monitoring system of the epidemics and pathologies presenting interactions with climate
or environment in Burkina Faso.
ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN DURING THE YEAR 2002
During the year 2002, I contributed to the development of seasonal rainfall forecast in Burkina
Faso; West Africa consolidated rainfall seasonal forecast and climatic forecast training of
colleagues from West Africa meteorologists in ACMAD. I also contributed on one part to diffuse
the results of the seasonal rainfall forecasts to political decision makers, socio-economic
planners, farmers and on the other part I provide assistance to farmers in rural zone as regards
use of the results of seasonal rainfall and climatic forecasts and training in handling of weather
data-gathering instruments.
From September to December 2002, I did training course in National Center for Environmental
Prediction (NCEP) in USA during four months. There I have been initiated with the decadal and
climatic forecast, and some software manipulation. By this occasion, thanks to assistance and
climatic data of NCEP, I have optimized the level of seasonal rainfall forecasting models of
Burkina Faso. But this knowledge has been vulgarised to West Africa meteorologists colleagues
at ACMAD during the year 2003 seasonal rainfall forecast workshop.