LAUNCH OF LANDMARK TRAINING CURRICULUM WEATHER &CLIMATE INFORMATION IN PRIVATE SECTOR

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:01]Everlasting father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, this morning we bow at your feet with thanksgiving in our hearts. Thank you for the gift of life.

[00:00:10]Thank you for the grace of salvation.

[00:00:12]Thank you for this beautiful day that you have given unto us. Your word reminds us that you daily loss. Today we appropriate the benefits of this day individually and even as organizations and as countries present here. We commit this event into your Heb. We pray for your presence. We pray for your guidance. We pray in Jehovah. Everything shall flow as you have planned. Take all glory for you that hears and answers prayer. It is in the name of Jesus Christ.

[00:00:41]Welcome.

[00:00:46]The national department of Kenya.

[00:02:12]the introduction part. Welcome on the introduction part. Welcome on.

[00:02:18]>> A very good morning to all of us. A very very very good morning to all of us.

[00:02:23]Welcome to the Kenya Mrological Service Authority and by extension the institute of for meological training and research that is a component of the WO RTC's across the world. I want us to do something interesting. If you did not greet somebody today morning, greet them now. Greet them. Say hello to your neighbor and I want you to say hello to a neighbor who you have not said hello to. Tapali we will leave here when we haveworked. We are only we didn't just come to meet the same people we came with. I know we are sitting like we know each other but I would want us to rise up. Please just say hello to the person you have not said hello to today.

[00:03:02]Tapadali if you did not greet anybody just say hello to them very quickly.

[00:03:08]Learn their name very quickly. See what where if they are okay.

[00:03:15]I know Morag has planned for us tea, but tea is coming.

[00:03:22]A very good morning to all of us. We may now return to our seats and thank you.

[00:03:26]Thank you very much. I would want the team from Sprout to remain standing. The team from Sprout, kindly remain standing. We want to recognize you.

[00:03:37]Anybody from Sprout?

[00:03:40]>> Oh.

[00:03:41]>> Oh, it's Mexico. Madame Ah, sprout is a division of mercy cops.

[00:03:48]So, can we have the team of mercy cops rising ups the guys who have helped us get here today?

[00:03:58]That is the mass cops team. I hope somebody picked a name from somebody and that is very good to have you guys here.

[00:04:04]Can we have somebody from a Africa? Aka Africa. Anybody from Echa Africa? Oh, wonderful. Hi. How are you, good to see you, Karibusana? We have somebody from Agexas. These ones I met. I know them.

[00:04:18]Yeah. So, Karim Busana Samuel, right?

[00:04:20]Yes. That is Samuel from Agexas and his colleague at the back. She's on phone.

[00:04:24]Probably something important in the office. And then we have CG Air. CG Airi.

[00:04:32]CJ A. Turn around so the guys at the back see who you are. Karibisana. And then we have Shift Agrihab. Shift Agrihap. Oh, hi madam. How are you?

[00:04:41]Karibana. And then we have Aishamba.

[00:04:44]Aishamba, we have partnered with them so many times. Hi Karibuni Sana. Thank you for the work you've been doing with the Kenya methological service authority. We are proud to be associated with you guys. Then we have Echometering Africa.

[00:04:56]Echome metering. Hi. How are you? It would be good to know what some of these guys do. Some of these names are quite interesting. Suti East Africa. Suti East Africa. Hi Karibana. Madame. Then we have of course masikops introduced and of course our very own Kenya metological service authority and the institute put together where the department and the institute put together that is the representation that we have of our staff. So we are so pleased to have you guys here with us.

[00:05:29]We are very very proud to be associated with you. I had not mentioned tamo na tamo to sim this one I know is muro karibana and then we have the university of nairobi I see professor pija seated with us in this room that is the university of nairobi is there anyone we have left out that we have not recognized anybody who has been left oh you guys get to introduce yourselves >> hi everyone my name is Miriam wu I'm from one fund >> one >> yes I've met Morning everyone. My name is Sam Jerogi.

[00:06:06]I'm from the Africa Plan Nutrition Institute.

[00:06:09]>> Africa Plan Nutrition Institute. I hope you are the last one to introduce yourself. You are not mentioned.

[00:06:14]>> Good morning. I'm Kimani Mangi from Nation Media Group. I'm with my colleague here.

[00:06:20]>> Hi Bonfra from Daily Nation.

[00:06:25]>> And at the back there I have Stacy and who? June. Please stand up. These are our Gen Z atachis who joined us and they are here to see what we do and why we do it and how we serve the public. So, oh there's one more. I'm very sorry we didn't get your your organization put down. We will.

[00:06:48]Good morning everyone. My name is from TV authority because this is the team that helped us developed this um curriculum. We appreciate you madam and thank you so much for taking time to be here with us today. Yeah, we forgot to send you guys an information note to say that methological department can be very cold. So, but don't worry. I know there's good stuff already planned for you and there's tea and hot water and if you need anything, just let us know. So, just as we begin, I just like to let us know that this is the institute for meological training and research. Where you are seated right now is the hostel area of the institute. This is where you are seated. The kitchen is on my left and this is the dining area. We have an auditorium down there. We have a library. We have classes. We have a common room and the host are just right up here. So those of you who are looking to help yourselves, we have on our left as you walk out as you take a left turn outside as you're going back to the main door, take a right turn. There are very good washrooms there that you can use if you need to if you need to use them. And Morag and Pamela and K and Christine and Kim and Beverly are here to help you if you need anything um you need assistance within your time here. So that was my time. Mine was just to welcome all of us, make you feel at home. This high table will be welcomed properly by the people who welcome the high table. So but we are glad to have you all here and we really really celebrate the institute for putting up this wonderful wonderful activity. It's the first we have ever had in this department and I've been here for long. So we are so pleased and so proud to be associated with you guys and also that you took your time to come and and um visit with us today. So I want to hand over this microphone to my own boss. He will say his name and introduce himself and now he will take us from this place going forward. Mr. Thank you very much Madame Bart and thank you everyone who is here is um but it's like she has read my mind.

[00:09:05]I've been here for the last 29 years.

[00:09:08]Yes.

[00:09:10]And this has never happened since that time. And for the sponsors in as much as that we'll have photo of thanks later. I must take this opportunity to say thank you very much to give us this kind of publicity.

[00:09:25]Let me take this opportunity to welcome Morag who will take us through this process before we came to this uh meeting. We had a process and therefore he will have to take us through what we went through. Welcome.

[00:09:41]>> Let's appreciate Victor. Thank you very much.

[00:09:45]>> Yeah. uh allow me even before I start is that I request the technical team that uh has been behind this work to stand led by the police for director IMT he has been the coordinator the Christ I thought you so this is a team from IM is Paul Mero so this is a team so and Mr. See and thank you very much. So the presentation or whatever you're talking you can be seated. It's a product which has been co-developed. They want to appreciate the technical ad and vocational that in Kenya. Do you have represed h those who are here share the link madame bahi kindly share the link. we are we were delayed because we are streaming live so it's very good this is a milestone so thanks a lot so I'll just take you through before I go to the caliculum because of interest of time and apologies we had arranged some we are seeing on the tables we have some it the spoons at what but for convenient was said we celebrate after we finish so we'll make it very brief so allow me to say that madam Marin she'll be coming here from masikops that in from November 2014 be giving a mam that the caliculum at IMTR they were those who are coming for the first time Madame B talked about it institute for meological training I research and from the 27th of March the Kenya government made a law we enacted a law 27th of March we are now Kenya metrological services authority with a metrological ting research directorate So I know my good friend Mr. Edoki know it's very interesting when I'm seated here having Mr. Buru who is the director IMTR emeritias you know in IMTR we use those terms we don't say former we see emeritias because he's a former director here so we wrote a proposal so we are very much pleased the acting director general of Kenya metological services is for former principal he's not a meditor because he has not retired yes from 2023 we made a concerted effort Our curriculum review is guided by World Metrological Organization which I'm very much pleased that we are joined by the team today but also from the market demand. So the building that we are here I'm very much pleased we have the screens there. So what we thought about is that we can be using the three the three screens there.

[00:12:37]I'm very much pleased that on 9th of September 1995 I joined this institute light from as a very young man. So I was up to there. So this is the building and I want to appreciate is the training branch of the Kenya Metrological Services Authority responsible for training personnel in metro related geocciences in Kenya and the English speaking countries. At the moment I'm very much happy the effort by the WMO we have international student currently from the Somali who are course I'm also pleased that it was designed as a center of excellence for training satellite metrology. So as per WMO our design nation is to provide education and training opportunities for WMO member countries live from Cameloon where we were last year we had student who are doing instrument maintenance caliberation course supply advice on education and training matters select methods of learning for member states why do we select methods of learning one we are having hybrid training for the satellite courses you do self-pace course then also to ensure our courses of instruction and other are consistent with WO guidance and learning what guides our curriculum development I'll be alluding to what I will be coming later with is that we are guided our programs they are guided by WMO manual on implementation of education and training standard in metrology and hydrology guide to competency guideline for trainers in metrology and compendium for competency is IMTL. Now coming back home IMTL has the capacity ability to organize and host specialized courses like what we'll be launching today weather climate information surface training module for the private sector.

[00:14:30]This is due to our existing infrastructure, manpower, collaboration with other institution both local and regionally. Allow me like thank you bahhati is that IMTL has two components.

[00:14:44]It has the institute components here in corner where you are and we have the university component with the department of metro. We are very much pleased. We have professor opija who is the chair of the department of so where I am does not have expertise we get it from the kenya metological service authority operations at the university of Nairobi. So the institute with the support for now allow me to take you you now the milestones before we come to that the institute identified capacity gap within the value chain players the value chain players.

[00:15:17]So due to demand for local sector and location specific climate information, we have identified several players who we need capacity building and the journey started in 2012 when the Kenya Metrological Department then decentralized not devolved decentralizing services to the counties. So we need to we developed as IMTL a training module to support sub regional for the WMO our two heads.

[00:15:51]Thank you very much. We usually pilot this training with Kenya. We refine and then we pilot for the other countries.

[00:15:59]So we are very much pleased that the Kenya Metrological Services Authority accept that Kenya the institute use the officers as the one who rule. So we developed a curriculum that was scaling and domesticating climate information services and we are very much pleased through ICRA this the one of the CGR company they fed and also the initial development was supported by SNV through the craft project that is one for 15 counties which we defined then climate basic module allow me to state that IMTR has identified there is capacity gap within the policy maker us why are they not investing in climate information services so these are the some of the priorities that now looking then I'm very much pleased that last year we launched in November we launched the climate risk management in agriculture extension together with the caro together with all the support of the ministry of agriculture then a very unique a standard alone costbenefit analysis for climate information ask yourself what is the economic impact of ignoring or utilizing climate information.

[00:17:13]We started looking at if one rainfall storm in a lobby of 20 mm can cause flash flinging and those are engineers who maybe they are not committing the project. What about a farmer who's planting? So we were able to pilot these ones. So our curriculum like I said because I just want to present this one so that I go to the next one very fast is that the institute conducts regular syllabus review aim to ensure they remain relevant. They embrace emerging technological changes and advancement.

[00:17:45]Currently the syllabus have been refed to adopt the competency based training approach. In addition the review is guided. to November last year because Eileen will be coming here is that Masops and I want to appreciate Mass Agriin project that we are aware that numerous barriers have been conducting baseline but no one has ever validated of any carried out through the front door. How is the metrological services being offered in Kenya? So a baseline they sought even I not say permission but partnership and mazob did a baseline in five counties in Kenya and after the baseline resort was shared we as IMTR took the opportunity to develop after the development there is a process of validating the curriculum we might develop a curriculum and we see is very nice but I want to appreciate the organizations which you are with machakos led able madame scan he was our guest during the validation of the module he had the kanya national quality assurance I'm very much pleased because we'll be we had teta our good sister there we had the university of nalobi we had the alliance bioacity and who are also looking at the calam so after that today we are making a milestone to launch the training so before I move to the next slide I will request now madame what informed That is the caliculum because we all always respond to a request. So madame kindly come and so that you can tell what was the basis that informed the development of this curriculum. Welcome a lot.

[00:20:22]All right, all protocols observed. Good morning. Um, my names are Irene Woy. I am the senior climate officer at Masico Agriffin. If you listen to Paul, he will tell you a lot more uh about me. very big things but I'm a very humble person.

[00:20:39]Um so as he mentioned one of the outputs that we were supposed to have under our grant and our grant my boss Seka will talk about very shortly um is a baseline study. So we initially conducted some desk research to kind of understand the value chain within uh weather and climate services. uh the project is currently for Kenya and Seneagal but uh for this context we're going to be talking about Kenya. So we did some initial desk research and we wanted to validate that by actually going into the field sampling some farmers the extension agents the private sector organizations that we work with and uh we also included the Kenya Met department county met officials. So we had a very wholesome uh sample to to inform this baseline study. So I'll just take you through very quickly because again this is not my show. This is Muraga's show. Um just some of the results from this and what we can be able to get or what informs some of our decision making. So our initial approach to the baseline was to show the demand.

[00:21:50]Sorry this I think the pollen sana for the I think it's glitching a lot.

[00:22:00]And it's also bothering me a little bit.

[00:22:02]So okay. So the baseline was to show the demand and the impact of weather information uh which you know showed was high but there was very weak localization and by localization I mean I am a farmer for instance in this section of Gishu the weather I get does not necessarily translate to the location that I am in. So we need to be very granular. I know KMD weather forecasts currently are I think 5x5 and for other private sector um organizations some of their granularities up to 3x3 kilometer uh grid. Um then there was obviously the irregular delivery. So farmers say I do not receive I receive the weather forecasts yes but do I get it on time?

[00:22:50]uh and then outside of that am I able to understand what this weather forecast uh is telling me? Am I able to act upon it? What am I supposed to do after I receive this? And then we see that these kind of you know clarity issues and the usage of that were holding back the full potential of WCI for farmers. Um so one of the findings we found is that weather information is widely known but is not clearly understood and I will mention that you know um the way KMD produced the weather forecasts and the way he published them that they might not be easy to understand. I know I've been a victim of that. I've seen the maps before and I know that you say you know expect 20 mm of rainfall but what exactly does 20 mm of rainfall mean?

[00:23:37]Does that mean it's going to be flooding the way it was um last March? Does that mean that I can be able to plant now?

[00:23:44]How many days of this kind of rainfall do I require to be able to take some kind of action? Um so yeah, like I mentioned, we sampled the farmers about 79% of them said that they had received at least one weather forecast in the last three years. However, there was a gap where about 25% of them could not identify the source. So who who are you who is providing this weather information that you're receiving? They could not say with definitively or definitively um where this source is.

[00:24:17]Again, we found another 25% will misinterpret the probability forecasts.

[00:24:21]I know that you have the descriptive and the probabilistic weather forecasts here. uh which now obviously um highlights a communication clarity gap.

[00:24:31]Uh for farmers who had never received one of these weather forecasts on their phone, they say that they mainly received them through the public sources. That's about 42% of them. So they show higher trust in KMD weather information. This is not news to you, right? If I get a weather forecast from a private sector provider, for instance, if Aishamba sends me a forecast and tells me it's from KMD, they are more likely the farmers to believe or to trust um that kind of forecast. Uh however, the ones who are using from the private sector um providers, they were saying that they access them with higher trust levels, although the understanding appears to be stronger among the non uh DWAS users. DAS is the digital weather advisory service. Um yeah. So and then again farmers say they receive the information irregularly and seasonally despite the strong demand for frequent updates. So what we found is that a farmer says I receive the seasonal forecast for instance the March, April, May at the beginning of the season. I do not receive it year round uh where I have decisions to make week on week or month on month rather than just having it once off at the beginning of the season. So I think that's definitely something that we'll be working towards.

[00:25:49]um who where about 70% of those farmers said that they would like these weather forecasts either on a weekly or a bi-weekly basis and about 72% require requesting for these weather forecasts on a year round um uh sequence. Then the other finding we found is that localization, timeliness and accuracy are the dominant pain points of farmers.

[00:26:11]So if you say it's going to rain where I am and my farm for instance I'll take I'll give an example of my husband's farm which is a bit larger uh so it can rain in Wasin Gishu and the farm cuts across two counties but then in the next ward it does not rain so the same farm has two different climactic zones which one which which is the weather forecast that I trust right so that that level of granularity is something that they are requesting of course the timeliness so if you tell me it's going to next week and we are in Tuesday then that that does not help me at this point. I need a focus that is today, tomorrow, the next day. So that regularity and that timeliness is what they're also requesting. Um and then obviously the accuracy. So I know that the KMD weather forecasts are very accurate. Uh is something that we are seeing different with Sagal when we're doing the same baseline. uh where KMD is a lot more technologically savvy than what we have been seeing with Anasim on the other end. Uh we also see a problem with uh or some strong behavioral adoption with farmers. So about 92% say that they act on these forecasts. If I'm told the season is going to start this week or next week and they are told with you know definitively then they can be able to act on those forecasts. We also see that the gender parity. So with women they tend to apply the WCI to practice faster than men. I that is a whole behavioral thing. Madame uh uh Dr. Pal here is going to talk more about that. U and then uh we also see that you know weather and climate information already drives the measurable aonomic and economic benefits with about 74% of the farmers samples saying that they reported yield increases after adopting WCI. 67% quoting that they had reduced crop loss and 31% say that they have better input use and clear evidence of economic return from the improved WCS.

[00:28:14]Overall, women and elderly farmers understandably face um access and comprehension gaps. And this is where we see you know that one-on-one touch with extension workers with the private sector that helps them get to the next mile. We also see something around willingness to pay and I know as KMSA is thinking through um you know being less dependent on the excheer. We have some some data around that with about 31% of these farmers saying that they would directly be willing to pay for this weather information. However, this jumps to 52% under conditions where you know accuracy is addressed, seasonal payments are offered or bundling services. Again, this is where the private sector comes in handy. If you combine weather and climate information services with your existing products, so I'll give an example of Acre Africa that does insurance for farmers. Uh if you're able to bundle weather information, charge that under your insurance premium, then there's going to be higher adoption of the WCS.

[00:29:18]Uh so we see that the the KMSA and the different private sector organizations are each bringing different strengths to the table for the pilot under this grant which is advancing PPPs for weather and climate services. We chose four different use cases. So one uh is mechanization with Hello Tractor. So all of them are utilizing or taking this weather and climate information services for their different use cases to reach their farmers. Hello tractor does weather information services but for mechanization. So they're able to predict demand for their tractors when where are these tractors required ahead of the planting season and during the harvest. We have kamana. Kamana does market linkages for these farmers. So when do you take your produce to the market? What is the price at the market right now? Is it raining on your road to the market? So those are the kind of information that they uh take to advise their farmers on when to take the produce to the market. Um Agriora and Apollo um agriculture their input credits. So when do you plant? This is the kind of variety you should be planting within these counties that you operate in. The weather is going to look like this and that so that you're able to improve your productivity and your yield. And then finally for the baseline s survey one of our conclusions is that a tailored PPP model is what is essential for scaling. So you if you see the map how are you able to to take that information? How does that inform your business decisions? And then finally how does that help you downscale that focus better to your farmers to improve their productivity and their yield. So thank you so much. This has been a long time coming. It has been a labor of love. Mr. Moragen knows we have been at this uh for about 7 months. So I look forward to seeing how we we communicate this further, how we train these private sector actors. I know you're already um identifying gaps uh for policy makers, for the media and so on. So we will definitely be working together for that.

[00:31:27]Thank you.

[00:31:31]>> Thanks a lot. uh Irene.

[00:31:37]Yeah, she's promising to share the baseline result with uh all the partners.

[00:31:46]So after IMTL received this uh baseline we thought that and we with the agreement with the massacops agriffin we are now proud to present weather climate service for private sector stakeholder training module which main aim is advancing public private engagement crime services for angria. Allow me for one minute in life if those who can see the slides is that if we in this loom and all our friends we all agree that climate information is a valuable resource for decision making but the weather focus is probabilistic. There is a lot of uncertaintity and most of the things that national med service is not just confer to Kenya we use technical terminology. So there is a level of uncertaintity but we are also aware that climate information is useful when different knowledge sources are combined and the metrological act 2023 identified indigenous traditional knowledge as one because the communities had their coping mechanism. So effective communication is essential in making climate information. This where now we are looking the private sector. Hello tractor ka amana Apollo agreeex. We for you to utilize our information you have to understand it. We want to make you the premar intermediaries of the Kenya metological services. The Kenya metrosical services like any national med services and the world met organization is provide time timely early warning weather and climate information for safety of life. It is evident that climate change is real at taking place in the country and in South Africa. Thus, ignoring it will elude economic gains for the private sector.

[00:33:48]Kenya economy is highly sensitive to climate risk. We had backto- back two seasons 2023 and the 2024 Mar Prome where the country lost billions of shillings from climate extreme and we are seeing a very unfortunate incident that any time we have a downpour of 20 mm of rainfor impact on transportation of our produce.

[00:34:13]So we are also looking at other value chain players include the regulators who can be able to aware that there is increased investment in climate data collection is very interesting our DG Edward when he was on air this season he talked about and you got the feedback 95% accuracy of our focus but how comes we are not seeing the results people are still yeah incurring losses So one of the few things we are saying how come we have that confidence in ours. So as IMTI we have noted that it's a gap on how you are tracing our information and that we are developed this module. On one hand the national med service lack capacity to customize data for commercial use and on the other hand the private sector lack technical skills to interpret the forecast. So that's why we are bringing both of you together including not just the technical people there is the gender aspect I you talked about women are the one who do bulk of the farming in Kenya and even in marketing they are the ones who are in the markets are they accessing climate information last year with the the alliance for bioacity and seats we carried out co- production workshop in four counties in central Kenya where women are perceived to have a lot of independence they access climate information but they cannot make a decision because the husband or the spouse is the one who make that decision. So there is the issue of accessing and utricing. Therefore the demand for climate and weather information has sector and location specific has increased. Access to weather information has been a challenge in developing countries but aware Kenya and other countries the rapid growth of mobile phones and radio coverage in Kenya has opened soon last week we were with thank you Dr. Kevin Shikoku we were with Mr. Bernard Chancel and we saw all the so many players who are offering climate information to the stakeholders.

[00:36:22]It was unfortunate allowed me to use this one that nearly eight of them is only one getting the weather forecast from the Kenya Metrological Services Authority. So the issue of therefore is now my pleasure that the training modules that we have developed will encompass two modules. the training curriculum. One, fundamentals of climate science and climate information. Before you look at the business aspect, we have the fundamentals of climate science with a backlow that the UNEK report for private sector engagement CIS emphasized that African governments alone cannot meet the demand for tailored climate information and it called for a robust public private partnership and capacity building to bridge this gap. By embedding CIS literacy and application in the private enterprises, Kenya can enhance the other can enhance its competitiveness, improve climate risk management and promote innovation. So we'll be building the capacity say that and also the engagement through maybe API is a Kenya metronological services and other metrological services to look how can they engage with the private sector and also develop business models.

[00:37:36]So we will as IMT the technical team and where we don't have capacity I said we have the Kenya methodological services authority at the University of Nali we will train the private sector on first of all on the basic concept and then we look at the business application of climate information we'll be following he on a curriculum that was launched last year costbenefit analysis for climate information services which was supported by international food policy research institute where we look at How first of all the data observation aware that a lot of investment has been done on data and even IMTL has developed climate data tool because uh processing of climate information has always been a challenge. So we are developing all those platform but we are aware the strength of the private sector they use a platform when you b your services when you are giving agro input datas can we be able to support climate information.

[00:38:34]My last is that this curriculum is founded on the pillars of the global framework for climate services United Nations cause by early warning system by 2027. We don't want anyone to be left behind. So the curriculum as I conclude the first pillar on data and observations we propose as IMDl and Kenya metological services authority as adaptation for the private sector. You develop private data sharing protocols and repositories. Secretary the second pillar on GFS crime service information system we are proposing creation of a business forecast digital platform for forecast translation.

[00:39:14]Three research and modeling as the mandate of the methological training and research directorate collaborate with universities and ICT firms for localized downscaling tools thus encouraging innovation. Fourth for the user platform and last mile facilitate core design workshops with sector stakeholders and lastly on capacity development IMTL promise to deliver modular training certification and mentorship programs.

[00:39:41]It's now my great honor to invite Peter Mazika our director in charge of international relations to take down to the ceremony and thanks a lot on behalf of the team. We appreciate a lot. Let us appreciate bad morag and masops that is Irene.

[00:40:00]Indeed, there has been several attempts to conduct surveys to know how climate information is used uh for the last 5 years there. But I had an opportunity to look at your report is quite in detailed. I wish you can share with this team uh your report. It's quite interesting especially to the meteorology fraternity. They will be interested to understand how our services are uh absorbed by the private sectors and the private sectors who are here. Please uh ensure that you get that uh report from Irene as well as what Mr. Aurora has uh indicated the two models that we are launched today. They are also very interesting, very short, but I think uh a lot will be said uh at the appropriate time. Allow me now to shift the gears to go to the high table to have some remarks based on what has been presented or protocols observed. Chief guest welcome to this session where we will have some remarks. We have not been invited by or welcomed by the chief of this institution and I request that the director institute for meological training and research uh which is also a component of world meloical organization regional training center to come and make his remarks. Welcome, Mr. Chancellor.

[00:41:56]Still, I can't hide my happiness.

[00:42:00]I think it's great.

[00:42:02]It's quite great to see all of you here.

[00:42:05]And I think even before I make my remarks, I just want to really say thank you for the presenters who have been here. Especially you saw how Paul talks with the passion and I think and when you see them talk about what we have and what we don't have in this institution it is now a policy under me that anybody employed by this institute wherever he goes out or where he stands to talk he should talk as a politician not for other thing but for marketing of this institution because We are we embarked on a very vigorous ambitious journey of reviving and making this institution reclaim its glory and rise and perform his mandate as it was set up. So h allow me now to welcome you. First of all, I take this opportunity to recognize our guest of honor, chief guest, Dr. Isham Ibada, director, WO regional coordination office. I think he will be standing. You will see him.

[00:43:26]I can't forget he's accompanied by Madame Hopsilla. Sometimes I get problem pronouncing that name but I always just go to Sikosana which sounds like a name from where I come from.

[00:43:43]Yeah. Although the body her body is small it's not like people from where I come from.

[00:43:50]Then I do also recognize the PR for Kenya with WO Edward Muryoki who will also be making his remark is also doubling as also the acting AG for the authority. I take also opportunity to recognize a the program director Masikop.

[00:44:19]The first name confuses me but allow me to use the second Kabaki.

[00:44:26]You know some of these names you can pronounce and then it means quite a very different thing which is like an accusation, immoral thing. So sometimes if you can't avoid Yeah.

[00:44:44]I think with all protocols observed we have yeah there are quite a number of organization I won't go through the list because it has somebody has gone through it but for now what I can do is no but without forgetting I can't forget mentioning tamo tamo have been a very worthy partners led by David Ibu David IU Can you just stand so that because you will not be I know I've not seen your name on the list of the the speaker so they may not see you.

[00:45:21]Buru is a former staff of this institution and a former a leadership leader of the institute and to add on it he's also a friend of mine was my friend is still my friend and I'm happy to work with him even after he has retired. Thank you Buru.

[00:45:39]So um with all protocols observed all the dignitaries good morning everybody respected guests dedicated partners and most importantly our brave ambitious IMT trainers can you stand up can we clap for them please get seated A very warm welcome to you all. It is my absolute pleasure to stand here today on behalf of directorate of metrical training and research which is formerly known as IMTR to celebrate a milestone in our shared journey towards improving the utilization of climate information decision making in our society. This is an ambitious endeavor that seeks to prove case that indeed private sector can play a key role in pushing climate agenda by advancing PL advancing public private engagement in climate services for smallcale producers. Today we are taking a major step forward in bridging the gap between current science and action.

[00:46:57]It is our belief as an institution that long ago days where we used to have research work on shelves, scientific findings on shelves, data on shelves. Now we are transforming, we are trying to build a capacity to transform those documents into actions on the ground. That is actually our business.

[00:47:20]So that is why we are here to launch this document.

[00:47:24]Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to join this launch of curriculum. It is my distinct honor and profound privilege to recognize our esteemed chief guest for today Dr. Isham Ibada Director World Metrical Regional Coordination Office.

[00:47:45]I really was humbled when you accepted to reschedule your travel arrangement just to grace this event. For your information, our chief guest made this decision just yesterday. I was talking to him. We are having a discussion together and when he learned about it and he was so passionate with it and he said no, can I join you? Initially the chief guest was the eastern and southern representative WO representative.

[00:48:20]Then also want to thank you for accepting to step down for your boss to come in.

[00:48:28]Not very many people will accept that you know especially in this in this world of this the African world. Yeah, when you are the one, you are the one for those ones who understand.

[00:48:47]So sir, your presence here today adds immense value and dignity to this momentous occasion. We are truly honored that you accepted our invitation to the to the launch to launch to the launch of this forward thinking curriculum. as you embark on strengthening regional WO centers. By the way, h in our discussion I fixed that there in our discussion it has been h it has been found that regional training centers in Africa have been going down.

[00:49:28]So I'm proud to say to reveal that our chief guest and Madame Shikosana who is the the representative eastern and southern Africa. They have actually embarked on a journey of improving and revitalizing reviving all the regional training centers not just training centers but other regional centers for WO. So I do congratulate you for that and I think what we are doing here is just proving that we are going to walk the journey together. I will not let you down.

[00:50:09]Yeah.

[00:50:11]Thank you for accepting to be part of the visionary visionaries who would want to see IMT reclaim its regional glory. I said that you are part of that team.

[00:50:24]Ladies and gentlemen, just to remind you or to remind our guests who we are. Mura had told you who we are but then as the head of the institute I should by voice probably take courage to tell you who we are.

[00:50:43]This is directorate for metrical training and research formerly known as a branch of Kenya metrical service authority under the ministry of environment climate change and forestry.

[00:50:53]The directorate is also a world metro organization regional training center responsible for training personnel in materology and related geosciences in Kenya and Englishspeaking countries.

[00:51:06]Actually in Africa we are eight institution.

[00:51:10]We have quite a number globally but I can tell you at one point WO research put this institution at number three. We were number three in the whole world at one point.

[00:51:26]I don't know which number we are on now but now you have heard they want me where and I'm saying this is a journey we have started embarking on and we have embarked on with your support not number three we want to be number one and I think with the support from all you partners I know all of you will want to see this institute ride high so thank you very much for that courage 's confirmation that WO will stand along with us to make this institution reclaim what I call lost glory which is coming sooner than ladies and just gentlemen we are here to launch a curriculum on weather and climate information services for private sector stakeholders in Kenya. a program designed specifically as a trans transformative initiative that downscales, contextualizes and mainstream CIS to Kenyan's private sector through tailored training. As I said during the validation workshop, we are gathered here not merely to launch a new set of document but to ignite a transformation.

[00:52:43]We know that taking this step requires courage, sacrifice and desire to grow.

[00:52:49]I'm happy to report to you that this institute has demonstrated to have all those characteristics that we are courageous enough to move this agenda forward. That is a promise I give to you ladies and gentlemen. What makes this new curriculum special? It is a learner centered, practical and tailored to fast changing world we live in now. We have focused on equipping private sector both professionals and nonprofessionals with found foundational climate science literacy and practical skills to apply climate information in the business context. It is developed under a mass agriffin project advancing public private engagement in climate sciences for smallcale producers as the baseline was being presented and of course everybody was saying he has not seen that it's true this idea of linking climate services by national me producer as with the private sector has been nonexistence and I think I want to thank Masco for that bold idea coming up with this initiative which is going to really open the space because there are two things like trying to make a climate information services accepted and be taken mainstreamed by private sector and I think that is one of the one of the agenda of WO is encouraging that h met services work with the private in partnership to advance climate service in climate information services across the whole world.

[00:54:47]Yeah, ladies and gentlemen, an an event of this magnitude is made possible only through the generous support of our partners and our guests who have sacrificed their precious time to attend and participate. I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our sponsors, Mass.

[00:55:06]Can we clap for them, please?

[00:55:11]I also would like to salute the WMO representative for Eastern and Southern Africa, Madame Mikos, for working with us on this journey. For your information, the lady has been with us. He has walked with us. And I should inform you and announce to you that she's actually the one who officiated over the validation of this curriculum.

[00:55:40]Yeah.

[00:55:43]May our time together I just have to say may our time together be a source of inspiration, renewal and deep connection.

[00:55:54]Thank you for being here with us today.

[00:55:57]A huge thank a a a huge thank you to curriculum design team, the people who took part in the design, our facilitators, our partners who work tireless to bring this vision to life. Your dedication to quality of life and prosperous IMT is what makes this moment possible. feel at home and once more I want to welcome you to this institution.

[00:56:27]Feel free but before you leave as I said we agreed as an institution we will be politicians before you leave find out what can offer just to tell you we have accommodation with us we have conference facilities we have open grounds for open events and we have so much that if you take your time even after this walk around get hold of especially those ones in blues they will tell you what we have because our agenda is to move this institution to the next level. So thank you very much and God bless you.

[00:57:11]Thank you very much. Let's appreciate him once more people who can assist all these institutions.

[00:57:19]Allow me now to call program director Sie Gatabaki of Massacots to make his remarks. Welcome sir.

[00:57:36]Thank you very much. Um for those who have heard me speak, I don't stand behind podiums. I think it creates it creates a tension. Yeah. There's there's a space between us. Um so allow me to stand here and um and speak from this position and I will also rest on previous protocols. Uh so distinguished guests I accept previous protocols. Um and thank you for having us here. It has indeed been a great journey to actually work with such a distinguished institute. I know you're saying you're coming back. Um, but nothing can come back from the fact that weather is one of the most critical things in agriculture. In fact, it is the thing that really makes agriculture work. Um I'm here to talk about a little bit about Mercico and you can see our mission there which is really about how we can bring together digital technology to improve the lives of small holder farmers. For the last 11 years or so, actually 13 years, we have been as an international NGO across the world figuring out what it takes to shift lives of people in the hardest to reach parts of different countries. Be it humanitarian work, be it development work. At the Agriffin program, we had a specific mandate to look at how digital innovation can impact those lives positively.

[00:59:16]The word interconnected is a special thing to us because as we take our approach, we look at it from a market systems development perspective.

[00:59:30]And in a market system development perspective, we as the catalyst in the market are really quiet people. We are not really we're not really in the foreground.

[00:59:41]We're kind of like salt in food. Yeah.

[00:59:44]Where we add the flavor to allow people to enjoy the calories, the nutrients that you're getting from the food. So we don't generally come as standing out but we bring forward the organizations and institutions that are are expected to bring about the change in the societies that we work with. Initially we had a very strong focus on private sector. We really worked with startups, private sector companies to build uh an ecosystem of actors that can truly bring change in the agricultural sector.

[01:00:25]But we had forgotten one of the most important actors in a system which is the public sector, governments, institutions such as yours and the role they play on a day-to-day basis to provide digital public goods, to provide digital public infrastructure. And so I am so glad that this relationship is part of the beginning of a new space that Mercy Agriffin will be looking at to reach more than millions of farmers across the continent. Currently we are touching about 17 million farmers lives across multiple countries in Africa.

[01:01:10]We're working with over 250 private sector actors and we are glad to include the public sector as one of the other actors that we are willing to support in this journey towards improving the lives of those who struggle to make a living on a day-to-day basis. We truly believe that digital holds benefits for small holder farmers. And let me digress a bit. When I started my career um in the digital space over 20 years ago, I worked with a phenomena that would become one of the world's actually the best in the world phenomena in the digital space and that was mobile money.

[01:01:53]I was one of the few people who launched and rolled out mobile money not for the green giant but for the competitor.

[01:02:00]Yeah. And we we worked to really understand what it takes to move financial inclusion across the world.

[01:02:09]Yeah. And we built a solution that touched the lives of so many people. Not only touched the lives of so many people but increased profitability of an organization hundredsfold. Yeah. And right now with any telco in the world um especially in Africa a critical component of that telco is their mobile money services. I did that for about 10 years and we changed the lives of so many people. I came into this space to look for the same concept to look at how do we then leverage digital and build solutions that truly help small holder farmers.

[01:02:51]And one of the spaces that we can really look at is climate. How do we get climate uh climate information services to small holder farmers? How do we get that shortity? We call it precision agriculture. How do we help the smaller farmer really believe and have faith that their harvests, their investments in inputs will yield returns that can sustain their families and lead to food security in the countries that we work in. So I'm really glad about this initiative. We're not only just pushing the frontiers of climate information, but we're educating the next level of technologies that will be supporting smaller farmers in their endeavor. I love the fact that it goes beyond just training the small um the the the entrepreneurs, but you're also looking at the policy makers. So that's the next step looking at those who actually create the rules around how you engage with climate information and how to ensure that it is pervasive in the countries that we work in. I will encourage the team not only to look at policy but perhaps another future module will be to look at the issue of mental health and the impact that climate change is having on mental health. Just last week, I was in a a board retreat and we had a speaker, a young man from Kajado County. Um he was telling me he was telling us how he has now currently about 200 herds of cattle. Um but the challenge is that they emaciated um and they've dwindled from a herd of about 500 cattle. Many of his colleagues have committed suicide because they cannot find feed. the way they used to be able to manage and and handle um their cattle is changing. So mental issues are impacting a lot of the communities we serve. And even though we looking at digital for the prosperity of small hold the farmers, we're also concerned about the other aspects of their resilience and mental health plays a big role. So if you can incorporate that in future modules would be glad to see how we can possibly support or crowd in um donors to that are focused on that specific area.

[01:05:23]Minor just to share those few comments.

[01:05:26]Thank you very much and we're looking forward to a fruitful collaboration.

[01:05:32]Thank you.

[01:05:35]Thank you very much Seka.

[01:05:38]Uh chief guest since you are from the Met uh fraternity I must reveal to Masiops that um from where I sit the time you started engaging KMD or rather the time we started engaging one another it was very tricky. Reason being everyone who was approaching KMD then was always talking about small uh assisting small order farmers and in the process of that we were getting people who were ready to do other things not like the way KMD was wishy to do and therefore I'm very sure perhaps your boss or uh your predecessors had several meetings with KMD management to see on uh ways on how we are going to engage one another because of the skepticism.

[01:06:40]It took long but fortunately at the end of the day we found a commoning ground.

[01:06:46]We had modules and all that. Not only you but others also but in the minds we learned a lesson because we are organizations who even up to today are claiming and claim that they are working with us but we don't see them anywhere.

[01:07:06]Perhaps perhaps I believe that those organizations are also not working with any organization that we are working with. Thank you very much because we know very well that you mean well for the small oldest farmers and as you have rightly put it Kenya Metrological Service uh through provision of his information service through your digital approach we are going to assist these farmers together with other organizations.

[01:07:37]Thank you very much for your kind words.

[01:07:39]Allow me to now call the permanent representative of Kenya with World Metal Organization. For your information, private sectors who are here or stakeholders, metological services in the world are headed by a a a title. But then beyond there since they are affiliated to world metric organizations the national met the end of national med service are also permanent representatives of their respective countries to world metal organization. Allow me now to call Mr. Edwards who will also invite the chief guest to make his remarks. Welcome.

[01:08:27]>> Thank you. Thank you uh Masika for the introduction.

[01:08:32]Uh good afternoon. It's still morning.

[01:08:36]We are awake. Thanks. I I'm now not sure where to stand after Gatabaki has indicated that there is a space in between.

[01:08:48]Uh but try to imagine that this lectern is not there. Okay. so that we are able to communicate because I don't want to hold my notes but uh allow me to start by recognizing uh Seka Gatabaki program director Masico uh Isham uh Abada W regional director Chanzu uh director and principal IMTR representatives from government ministries departments agencies development partners representatives from the private sector academia and research institutions S I saw professor opija karibusana members of the fourth estate kimmani mangi are you still with yes Kimani Kimmani mangi has been doing an excellent work let's appreciate he's been giving us lots and lots of coverage and very positive reporting and this is uh what we appreciate uh distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen uh good good morning it is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and I'm glad that this journey that began in uh the year 2025 has come to a fruitful end uh with the launch of this curriculum. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate IMTR.

[01:10:09]I have been a trainer for years. Actually, most of my working life has been at the institute. And when uh the principal, my colleague Bernard said, "Let the trainer stand," I was tempted to stand. In as much as I was sitting at heart, I was standing because I identify a lot with uh the institute. uh this initiative uh represents a very important milestone in uh strengthening the integration of climate information into national development planning, enterprise uh resilience and sustainable growth. I'm glad that uh climate and weather information is being taken very very seriously even at policy level. We are always being invited and being engaged uh to present the weather perspective.

[01:10:57]Uh I am glad that also our focus as Moragi has correctly said are becoming very accurate and reliable and this collaboration goes an long way in ensuring that the the the the information that we package uh gets to the intended user. Collaboration and partnerships between our institutions recognizes that weather and climate information are no longer a peripheral scientific function. It is a strategic national asset supporting policy information, investment planning, disaster risk reduction, and social economic transformation. Increasingly, uh, frequent extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change and variability are undermining development gains and exposing businesses and communities to heightened levels of vulnerability and uncertainty. You saw what happened recently when there was flooding in the month of March in Nairobi. That was unprecedented. Uh when you look at those clips, it it looked like a horror movie. It wasn't good at all. And uh this is something that uh the planners are taking very very seriously to see what we need to uh change. So uh because we gave the warnings but what happened that I mean what what really happened that uh we ended up where we are is it planning what is it I think this conversation is ongoing these realities call for stronger institutional frameworks enhanced climate literacy and improved access to timely reliable and actionable weather and climate information and I'm glad that this curriculum will actually contribute ute towards increased climate literacy. The government of Kenya through the department or the authority remains committed to strengthening climate services as a key component of national resilience building and sustainable development. Distinguished guests, the private sector plays a very critical role in national development, innovation, employment creation and investment. Access to credible climate information and the capacity to interpret and apply such information in operation and strategic decision making is therefore very very necessary. Uh the national framework for climate services uh recognizes that on our own we cannot do it. That's why we stren we we seek to identify uh partnerships, strengthen collaboration so that together we are able to carry this message and together we build more resilience and that's why I am glad that the private sector is coming in very very very strongly. I appreciate the role played by Mexico and all the other players in ensuring that this partnership uh is uh is is is effective. Also, if you look at the national framework for climate services, you realize that uh capacity building sits at the center of it all. You build capacity along all the pillars and I'm glad that this is what this curriculum seeks to do. Again, if you look at the disaster risk formula, risk ex uh exposure is proportional to hazard uh times vulnerability divided by the capacity. So, anything you do to you can reduce vulnerability by building the capacity by building uh improving on climate information services or also uh creating more awareness. So, even this curriculum will also play a critical role. I noticed that the curriculum we are launching today responds directly to some of these needs. Number one, it recognizes that climate information only becomes meaningful when translated into practical action. Actually, the reason why we give our focus differently nowadays is so that it you are able to make a decision. You are able to make practical decisions out of the focus.

[01:15:07]And that's why we move from very general uh focus to very actionable focus that are location specific. It also uh supports preparedness, resilience and adaptive capacity. The curriculum is also designed to strengthen the interface between meteorological science, policy implementation and private sector application where this now comes in. It will enhance understanding and utilization of weather and climate products. It will also support risk management. It will strengthen early warning systems and promote climate smart investments. And I think that is what we would all desire to uh promote climate smart investments and business continuity uh and planning.

[01:15:58]It will also advance the capacity sorry the policy objective of mainstreaming climate information services into social economic planning and institutional decision making. As climate risks continue to evolve, capacity development must also evolve. And I think this is what has informed uh this curriculum because the climate needs or climate information needs are also evolving.

[01:16:27]Building resilience is not a one-time intervention. No, it is a continuous and collaborative process that requires investment in knowledge, innovation, technologies, transfer and institutional partnerships. And I'm glad that there are several partners that are willing to walk this journey with us today. The need to adapt and build resilience of small and medium enterprises, agri businesses, uh financial institutions, transport oper operators and emerging economic sectors are highly that are highly exposed to climate variability should be ablely met through this curriculum. I therefore encourage all institutions that are represented here to support the implementation, uptake and institutionalization of this curriculum within their programs, training frameworks and operational systems. As I conclude, I wish to reaffirm uh the department's commitment to continue supporting policies, partnerships, and capacity building initiatives that enhance production, accessibility, and utilization of climate information for sustainable development. I look forward to continued collaboration as we work together towards a climate resilient economy and society. Thank you so so so much.

[01:17:58]My other task was uh to invite the chief guest but I wish to do it a bit differently. I wish to invite Lobsil Sikosana to just uh make very brief remarks and then invite uh the director Karib Lobile.

[01:18:25]Thank you, Pier. I know the PR would want to hear me say something even if there's nothing for me to say.

[01:18:33]I'm very excited PR and E participants to be here today. It's a journey that for me it's not just for Kenya as you all see it and look at it. For me it's a regional journey. It's a global journey and I want to see more of this from IMTR. And uh allow me now to invite my director, director regional coordination office, Isham Abeda, who used to be my colleague and used to be my PR like two months ago and now he's my director.

[01:19:17]Director, you have the the floor.

[01:19:29]Habar, good morning.

[01:19:33]Um, I want to say all protocol observed but I think um I have to mention a few people. Um, first of all, let me mention uh the permanent representative of Kenya with the WMO, Edward Muryuki. Then I'd also like to acknowledge the program director, Mr. Katabaki.

[01:19:53]Um and then also uh M Irene Wui I hope I've pronounced it correctly. Um and then also the um director the Kenya director for TAMO uh Dr. Muru.

[01:20:07]Um then also the director and principal of the Institute of Meteorological Training and Research IMTR and the principal of the WMO regional training center.

[01:20:19]Then my colleague Lobile Sikosana who's the WMO representative for Eastern and Southern Africa and who's built this relationship with KMSA.

[01:20:30]Um I think very importantly the development partners that are here today uh most of them have been acknowledged so I won't go through the list. Um but thank you for being here today. Then also um the the KMSA and IMTR staff who's been very good to me. um uh ladies and gentlemen from the media and our public at large and also those of you that are live streaming um this event today. I wish you a very good morning.

[01:20:59]Uh before I start on your agendas uh you I'm referred to as Dr. Isham Abada. Um let me just say thank you very much to KSMA and the Kenyan people for the honorary doctorate.

[01:21:14]I am in fact um just I is moubada but it's my absolute pleasure to be here and to be afforded this opportunity to grace the launch of the two important modules for the institute of meteorological training and research which incidentally um also doubles as the WMO regional um uh training center for Nairobi as one of our regional centers of excellence. I might add the other thing that we also have to remember is that the private sector is highly impacted by extreme weather events. Um and for them and you'll know most people in private sector financial loss is a big thing. Um and therefore there is also an imperative to mitigate these impacts and to make sure that these losses are reduced.

[01:22:05]The other thing about why the private sector is also important is that it's a significant source of um financial support and also investment in climate action and it helps to contribute to financing the the gap that exists in some of the climate actions that we see.

[01:22:26]I think also and and importantly the private sector is a very significant source of technical knowledge and also innovation which is essential for developing and implementing climatefriendly technologies.

[01:22:39]So I think it's therefore in the interests of the WMO as well as the meteorological services to ensure that the private sector is not just engaged but is also capacitated to contribute to sustainable development goals by leveraging their dynamic expertise and flexible working modalities to contribute to a resilient future.

[01:23:02]This curriculum that was being talked about this morning and is being launched comes at a very important time. The WMO has launched what it calls the guidelines for public, private engagement. And these uh PPE guidelines essentially encompass interaction and collaboration between the public, private and business sectors. It includes academia and civil society and it helps in the production and delivery of weather, climate, hydraological, marine and related environmental data and information and services to the users worldwide.

[01:23:37]The guideline um that I'm referring to aims to address societal risk related to extreme weather, climate, water, and other environmental events through interdisciplinary and multis sectoral partnerships.

[01:23:51]And also in line with these guidelines, the Geneva declaration of 2019 and the open consultative platform serve as key manifestations of the WO strategy to engage the whole community in the concerted response to global environmental risks. And it's yet another demonstration of the WMO's commitment to a people first approach um to public private engagement in promoting partnerships that support local to global decisions related specifically to saving lives and property and also supporting economic productivity by providing essential meteorological, climatological, hydraological and environmental information.

[01:24:36]Today I'm very excited to witness a real life demonstration of the implementation of these guidelines um for the public private engagement and on the beha on behalf of the WMO I would like to sinc sincerely appreciate Kenya the Kenya Meteorological Services Authority and IMTR for leading the way in this regard.

[01:24:58]This leadership is a commitment um that will go a long way in cementing Kenya's regional role as a WMO designated training center.

[01:25:09]To the private sector that are present today, we appreciate the recognition and confidence you extending to the regional training center. to the University of Nairobi representatives and other uh academic institutions. The collaboration and cooperation with our regional trading center is very much appreciated as well. to other government institutions like the Kenya National Qualifications Authority um that have supported IMTR in the development of this curriculum. We sincerely appreciate the support in ensuring that IMTR effectively serves the population of Kenya and the neighboring countries to Mercy and the Agriffin program specifically. Um WMO appreciates the financial support that's been extended to our regional training center and we also hope that other training centers in the region can eventually benefit from such support. I think it would provide an opportunity for these RTC's as they're better known to share their experience, learn from each other and also importantly develop this curriculum further to the KMSA. Um I've been very fortunate to spend some time with them yesterday and a little more time today um with members of the institution and I understand better now the important role that they play um and I must mention this internationally um regionally and very much nationally as well. Um and and they they make a tremendous contribution. Yes, they do have some concerns and and and um constraints but their contribution I think um is invaluable in the different sectors of the economy. I mean you just have to think about agriculture as an example, the health sector, the aviation sector, water resources sector, the commercial sector, education and other critical sectors that impact the Kenyan people. So I I'd just like to acknowledge their invaluable contribution.

[01:27:17]Um as I mentioned however I also see and understand that there are significant gaps um and and um constraints that the institution is facing and this in a way hinders some of the delivery on its national and regional mandate.

[01:27:33]But that's why I think also part of my um plea is that the Kenyan Meteorological Services Authority be supported for the excellent in in in continuing its excellent work. It therefore pleases me to note that through initiatives like updating the RTC's curriculum, some of these gaps are being addressed um in a way that empowers them um and others also to to fill this gap.

[01:28:03]Um, and I think this for me is another demonstration of the power of collaboration and making sure that we can provide these climate services and making them useful as some of the the other speakers before me have indicated.

[01:28:20]So I think I'm going to stop talking now um before I finally wish I kmsa and also the government of Kenya all the best in the roll out and the implementation of this curriculum and I hereby declare it officially launched. I thank you.

[01:28:36]Thank you very much. Let's appreciate him once more. Uh thank you very much director. I think now I hand over to Morag now for the official launch. It has been officially launched but let being given the chance now to protocol take people there please.

[01:28:57]>> Thank you very much. Thank you very my guest of honor and obviously that there is a ceremony and we are happily requesting the high table the technical team to join DJ some music please.

[01:29:10]Here's the technical team, the guest of honor. The Yes. The question.

[01:29:19]>> Yeah. Yeah. I'll I'll cutting the tape.

[01:29:42]Yeah.

[01:29:50]>> Count.

[01:29:52]So, so countdown to the lounge of the IMTR WC module at the countdown of 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Beautiful.

[01:30:36]>> Beautiful.

[01:30:48]>> A photo there. Can we have a photo there with you? Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

[01:30:54]>> To organize the photos.

[01:30:55]>> Yeah. Organize it.

[01:30:58]>> Hello. Hello. Could we reduce the music a little bit? Thank you. Just for two seconds.

[01:31:03]>> I want us to do these photographs in a way that everybody >> is in the photograph in their turn. So, can we start with the chief guest and uh Madame Sikosana and our PR and the director and I don't know whether to call you Dr. Katabaki.

[01:31:21]Yeah. Yeah. So, I'd want us to stand in such a way that we can see the the the mod the dummy rotating and then please all eyes on the camera. All eyes on the camera as the book is rotating. Please and let us smile because this is an wonderful day for all of us. It's the first time ever at the Kenya Mrological Service Authority and the Kenya Mrological Department. A round of applause for our guests.

[01:31:49]So could we have the technical team join them? I don't know how we're going to do this. You come to but let's see how to kindly let us keep rotating the dummy book. Let us keep rotating the dummy book.

[01:32:07]>> Yeah, let it just keep let it rotate until we finish. Is everybody being seen? Can we see everyone? I'm sorry.

[01:32:13]I'm sorry. Can we see everybody? Kindly let us smile. Smile for the camera. Mula Kazimingi. Congratulations.

[01:32:23]Congratulations to all of you. So I would want to have our guests kindly sit and have the technical team take the photograph next to their work.

[01:32:38]So smile for the camera. Tapadali.

[01:32:41]Remember the book needs to be seen. All eyes on the cameras. There are many.

[01:32:46]Smile. Smile.

[01:32:48]The last one.

[01:32:51]Mercy cops. Where are you? Mercy cops.

[01:32:58]Kazzi. Thank you guys. Thank you very much. Well done. Congratulations.

[01:33:02]Where's your team? Where's everybody?

[01:33:04]Where's Michelle Elizabeth? They don't want picture.

[01:33:08]>> You guys did so much work. Yeah. Morag, please join them. You are part of Mercy Cops and your director also can join us if that's okay.

[01:33:21]>> Yes, we all did the work. We all did the work. It's you, Mr. Gatabaki and Mr. Chu who helped us do the work.

[01:33:27]>> You gave us authority to go for meetings and all that. Yeah. So, smile for the camera. Smile for the camera. Very well done. A round of applause for Mercy Cops.

[01:33:39]Teta come please and take this photograph and then I think K and QA is K and QA here with us please join. Yeah. Yes. K and QA are you? Anybody from the Kenya National Qualifications Authority? Anybody?

[01:34:00]>> All right.

[01:34:02]Can we then have the University of Nairobi and every single person who was in the validation workshop in Machakos Tafagali if it was not for you we would not be here today. University of Nairobi and every single person who was in the validation workshop in Machakos Tafabali Masa I hear you are in Minda please join the Yes. So every single person who was at the validation workshop in Machakos.

[01:34:41]All right. Smile for the camera guys.

[01:34:43]Well done. Clap for yourselves. Nani.

[01:34:48]Oh hi Suzanne. Even you you are there.

[01:34:51]Yes. Congratulations to all of us. Now I want to make a kind request. Mori. Did we get the dummy books ready? Are the books ready? Do we have some spiral bound copies?

[01:35:02]>> Yes. Uh okay. So we need the high kindly. Oh Mr. Muruki has left unfortunately but we can still take I want us to take a picture with the books. Tafadali. Yes Tafadali. We need the books with the on the high table.

[01:35:17]Madame or Muruki has left. We need a representative of Mr. Muruki. But Chanu can be the representative of Mr. Masika.

[01:35:26]How many copies do we have pal? Do you have more?

[01:35:35]So we will do this one photograph and then if there are any other copies and anybody else would want to join this group kindly hold the book up straight smile for the camera. This is the work of your hands and we are very proud and then you can give the vote of thanks. Okay.

[01:36:11]All right. Smile. Smile.

[01:36:14]One, two, three. The last shot.

[01:36:17]All right. You are done. Thank you very much.

[01:36:40]All right. Um it's a few minutes to afternoon and um it's not very easy uh to talk when there has been so much uh because of that I'm looking at the list here.

[01:37:01]Uh we have got um directors from WMO.

[01:37:08]We have got directors here and we have got everybody. We have got a Africa shift Africa huba southeast Africa masops kam uh come kma uh TVa the media houses I'll make my work very very easy because it's also uh the easiest photo of thanks is also not to give effort of uh to continue talking while I'm looking at you the energy levels or the sugar levels have gone down and when you got into the venue here uh the table where you are seated I will not ask you what you first saw but but but I can see and you are confirming that you saw a fork you saw a spoon and then you were looking at what goes with that. You could not see that on your table and then I could see you.

[01:38:21]I could see your eyes looking uh to that side and I'm happy that um I'm seeing now uh our staff getting ready.

[01:38:34]So without mash adoom mine is very very easy to give a vote of thanks and allow me to say that it would not have been a success without each and every one of us. Even the people even the people who were here yesterday who were making these tables I I I was allowed this place yesterday. I could see them making those tables for you. So we are saying light from the word go inception to where we are. It has been a success because of your Lord. So a photo of thanks to all of us. And with that may I request that you crap for yourself. Just clap for yourself. A clap for yourself.

[01:39:24]Then a crap for everybody.

[01:39:28]That's my foot of thanks to all of you.

[01:39:31]Thank you very much.

[01:39:35]All right.

[01:39:38]So, as Mangi has rightfully a round of applause for Mangi, he's normally very good at giving vote of thanks and we appreciate him. He works at the institute. He's a deputy director, one of the deputy directors at the institute. So, we are very grateful to you, Mr. Wangi. Thank you very much for giving us the vote of thanks. So, now it's breakfast. Did you come any brunch?

[01:39:56]Ask guys called it's brunch. This is what you call brunch. If you've never had brunch, this is it. Breakfast and >> lunch. This is what it is. This is what the rich people do in at Riverside. This is the they at are at cafe right now taking branch. Yeah. As they discuss.

[01:40:14]So, this is an opportunity for us to do the networking and this is a time for us to share a meal together. And we're grateful to our kitchen staff led by Madame Rose and her team there. a coffee. Please clap for them. We are very proud of them. They do a very good job. You'll enjoy yourselves. You'll always be coming back here as Mr. Chanu has said. So, we would want to give the honor of uh having the first people to serve this meal as the high table kindly uh to let allow them first to take up their breakfast and their meal and then the rest of us can join after that. I hope that is okay with everybody. And I also want to say something to all of us.

[01:40:51]Please note your picture has been taken.

[01:40:55]You are live on YouTube and we forgot to ask for permission.

[01:41:03]But since we have finished, you can't cancel it, Cindio. But if anybody feels they would not want their image to be seen on any media, our social media pages are open. Masikos media pages are open and you're all over Kenya right now. So if you feel that you would not want this to be your story, kindly let us know so that we can see what to do. We apologize for forgetting about the data policy uh of the country.

[01:41:29]We are supposed to seek your permission to air you live or take any of your photographs. But since we've already done it anyway, so kindly um rise um we will also share these pictures with the WO office in Geneva. So kindly rise and kindly lead us. Uh Rose is right there. She will help you with the service and then the rest of us can join.

[01:41:57]But whoever wants the media, whoever want to be interview of the media, kindly let us know. We'll make the interview possible for you. A very good afternoon to all of us. When you go back, go well. And thank you once again for coming to celebrate with us this important occasion.

[01:43:48]Let us join for breakfast please. If the VIP Yeah. kindly join for brunch.