Tanzania is stepping up efforts to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring through a new technical partnership with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), aimed at strengthening the country’s weather observation network to meet international standards.
The Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) this week hosted a team of meteorological experts from DMI under the United Nations-backed Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) project, which supports developing countries in enhancing weather observation systems.
The mission focuses on helping Tanzania meet the requirements of the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON), a framework established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to improve the collection and sharing of weather data worldwide.
Reliable weather observations are considered critical for accurate forecasting, early warning systems and climate monitoring, particularly as countries face increasing risks from extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Opening the technical mission in Dodoma, TMA Director General and Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Dr Ladislaus Chang’a, said the visit reflects the strong commitment of all partners to strengthening Tanzania’s meteorological capabilities.
He noted that investments being made through the SOFF project are intended to deliver long-term improvements in weather observation and forecasting services.
“Our objective is to ensure that TMA continues to comply with GBON requirements while improving the quality, reliability and accuracy of weather and climate services provided to communities in Tanzania and beyond,” Dr Chang’a said.
The technical assessment will review several aspects of TMA’s operations, including international weather data exchange systems, maintenance and rehabilitation of observation equipment, calibration and verification services, staff capacity development and the management of both surface and upper-air observation stations.
The findings are expected to guide future investments and technical improvements needed to strengthen the country’s meteorological infrastructure.
DMI Project Manager Dr Sebastian Hornum said the mission offers an opportunity for experts from both institutions to exchange knowledge and identify practical measures to improve operational performance.
“This visit allows us to work closely with TMA experts to identify areas where technical capacity can be further strengthened and international observation standards achieved,” he said.
SOFF Project Technical Coordination Committee Co-Chair from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr Abbas Kitogo, praised the progress made through the collaboration.
“The achievements recorded so far demonstrate the value of the partnership between TMA, DMI and UNDP. We remain committed to supporting the successful implementation of the project and ensuring that its benefits contribute to sustainable economic and social development,” he said.
As part of the mission, the delegation will visit selected weather observation stations in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam that form part of the GBON network. The visits will assess operational performance and identify areas requiring further enhancement.
The initiative comes at a time when demand for accurate weather and climate information is growing across sectors such as agriculture, aviation, transport, water management and disaster preparedness.
By strengthening its observation network and improving the flow of meteorological data, Tanzania is expected to enhance forecasting accuracy, support climate resilience efforts and contribute more effectively to the global weather monitoring system.
