Using simple mobile technologies to scale up digital collection & processing of climate observat ...

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), on behalf of Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) invites qualified interested firms to submit Expression of Interest (EOI) to participate in the upcoming solicitation for provision of technical assistance for using simple mobile technologies to scale up digital collection & processing of climate observations for adaptation actions in Malawi. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on behalf of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) requires the services of an institution to deliver the technical assistance. The objective of the technology concept is to strengthen Malawi Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services and Department of Water Resources’s capacity and confidence in using simple mobile technologies and integrating climate data not only in core forecasting and warning functions but also in impact modelling and adaptation by synergistically relating the data to critical time series of climate projections. The technology concept will complement the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, the Department of Water Resources and prior donor efforts, by allowing DCCMS and DWR to extensively test and investigate the use of mobile phone technologies as a solution to collect and digitize water, weather, and climate observations comprehensively and sustainably. MUST’s Center for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (CCC DRM) will provide capacity to DCCMS and DWR on the use of mobile phones to conduct comprehensive and systematic collection of data for application in impact modelling and developing climate futures for purposes of adaptation and disaster risk management. The implementer will provide training on new and improved software and cloud technologies while DCCMS and DWR will integrate the readily available digitized data into its water and climate database management systems. The databases and software will be used to analyze historical data, proposed comprehensive daily observations and corresponding daily time series of climate projections to derive general and specific regional impact and adaptation models for Malawi. The proposed technology will help to provide pathways to adapt to climate change and provide practical knowledge and skills to undertake effective data digitization and analysis for impact modelling and adaptation. Some of the expected activities are; • Preparing the consultancy work plan, periodical progress reports and final reports. • Creation of a steering committee, mapping of stakeholders and inception meeting • Diagnosis of the current systems and equipment available in Malawi to gather climate data • Assessment of needs and requirements of future users and administrators of the system. • Evaluation of mobile phone technologies as a solution to collect and digitize weather and climate observations. • Identify the barriers, the challenges, the opportunities, and strength of the systems in place at DCCMS and DWR to implement such a technological system. • Design the architecture of the systems. • Piloting the use of mobile phone technologies as a solution to comprehensively collect and digitize weather and climate observations. • Designing a financial mechanism that would make this technology concept sustainable in the context of Malawi. • Train future users, administrators, and beneficiaries of the system The complete details of the requirement will be provided in the tender documents that will be issued to bidders after this request for EOI is closed.