In Africa, where accurate weather data can make a critical difference in managing risks associated with extreme weather events, it is time to use alternative but appropriate means to afford accurate weather data. In this regard, the WACREN is taking significant strides to enhance weather monitoring through innovative strategies based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Using low-cost weather stations based on IoT offers a practical solution to the limited weather data access in many African regions. These stations provide affordable access to accurate weather data and enable proactive measures against extreme weather events like droughts and floods. In response to the continent’s vulnerability to such events, WACREN, under the EU-funded AfricaConnect3 (AC3) project, is championing the adoption of these stations to mitigate their impact on agriculture, food security, and public health. Under AC3, WACREN aims to support its member NRENs to deploy LoRaWAN gateways and weather stations, ensuring the reliable and timely transmission of weather data for climate and weather research and research-informed decisions by meteorological agencies across the WACREN region and beyond. Read the White Paper on the key role NRENs can play in enhancing weather monitoring through IoT technologies.
