WISER HIGHWAY Research and Fellowship

WISER HIGHWAY Research and Fellowship - Terms of Reference Development of African academic and research capacity to facilitate the integration of local knowledge and terminology, including indigenous knowledge, into weather information and warnings in the Lake Victoria Basin. Aim To develop academic and research capability in region, facilitating the increase in uptake and use of weather warnings across target communities and users by making them more relevant and usable, with local knowledge and terminology.

One of the challenges of introducing decision-making weather information to communities is its accessibility and 'local acceptability' to vulnerable people (end-users). Indigenous Knowledge (IK) has developed over many years, has its own vocabulary for terms, and is a fully understood and accepted for decision support by the local communities.

The introduction of meteorology as an alternative source of decision-making information is a challenge as it is an unknown quantity and the language is often very technical in nature. This activity should test the effectiveness of incorporating IK and its vocabulary into the processes of distributing weather information and warnings, in collaboration with African academics and researchers.

This activity will take place alongside pilots on Lake Victoria (in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) testing the delivery of a regional, co-produced Impact-Based Early Warning System for key weather hazards to lake users and communities. Where suitable processes and methodologies are identified, it will develop the guidance and capacity for these to be delivered across the Lake Victoria region. Stage Target Times The deadline for submitting clarification questions 8th February 2019 @ 17:00 (GMT) Bid Return Date through the Met Office Procurement Portal (Procontract) 5th March 2019 @ 12:00 Noon (GMT) Evaluation Period 6th - 8th March 2019 Outcome Notification 18th March 2019 Sub-Grant Award Target Start Date 1st May 2019 Sub-Grant Award End Date 31st January 2020