Uganda 2023 (Ogwang)

Uganda

The impacts of SRM on seasonal and intra-seasonal climate variability over East Africa

Host institution

Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA)

Grant year

2023

Project summary

Millions of people across East Africa rely on rain-fed agriculture for their survival, and are under increasing stress due to the effects of climate change. The deployment of SRM would offset an increase in global temperatures, and potentially reduce the risks of global warming, but its impact on East Africa’s seasonal and intra-seasonal climate is unclear. A team led by Dr Bob Alex Ogwang, from Uganda’s National Meteorological Authority, will explore how SRM might affect seasonal and intra-seasonal rainfall and temperatures, compared to the changes brought about by a shifting climate. Their results will bolster the region’s scientific contribution to global SRM policy discussions, whilst also encouraging further regional interdisciplinary scientific research in general.

The team

Dr Bob Alex Ogwang

Uganda National Meteorological Authority

Bob Alex Ogwang has a PhD in Climate systems and global change from NanJing University of Information, Science and Technology in China, and is the Director of Training and Research at the Uganda National Meteorological Authority. He has previously worked as a long-range forecasting expert at the African Centre for Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) in Niger, where he was involved in operational seasonal climate prediction, including co-production and stakeholder engagement across the African continent. Dr Ogwang is also a member of the CORDEX Africa-Climate Analysis Group, where he has gained extensive experience in climate research.

Mr Lawrence Aribo

Uganda National Meteorological Authority

Lawrence Aribo is currently the principal of the National Meteorological Training School in Entebbe, Uganda. Along with his own research, he is also a reviewer for the IPCC Working Group III. He holds a Masters in geoinformation science and earth observation, and has previously served as the principal climate change officer and senior climate change officer – adaptation, at the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda.

Dr Godwin Ayesiga

Uganda National Meteorological Authority

Godwin Ayesiga is a climate scientist currently acting as the manager for training and research, and in charge of international relations at the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA). He is also a visiting researcher at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. His interests include sub-seasonal to seasonal climate variability, extreme climate events, and regional climate change. His current work includes understanding of the role of equatorial waves in influencing extreme precipitation over Equatorial Africa. He is the winner of the 2021 Ian James Award.

Dr Catherine Mulinde

Makerere University

Catherine Mulinde is a climate and environment scientist, and for the last 15 years, she has been a lecturer at Makerere University. Catherine holds a PhD in climate science and adaptation, and her research interests also include geography, environment sciences, and agriculture. She is widely published across these topics and has developed her expertise in climate change modelling, weather forecasting, climate extremes and farming systems analysis, econometrics, community adaptation and environmental impact assessments. She has collaborated with several funding agencies, national and international institutions, and research projects and consultancies, including with Makerere University, the Government of Uganda and non-governmental organisations.

Dr Alex Nimusiima

Makerere University

Alex Nimusiima is a senior lecturer at Makerere University. He was a team member of the adaptation and vulnerability group that produced the Third National Communication of Uganda to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). He has also participated in a FAO-funded project on climate change modelling in Uganda, which produced a climate atlas for the country. He is also a member of the CORDEX Africa Analysis Group that has published extensively on climate dynamics and their impacts on the African continent. He has also published over 21 research articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr Moses Ojara

Uganda National Meteorological Authority

Moses Ojara is a Principal Meteorologist with the National Meteorological Authority in Kampala, Uganda. He holds a PhD in Applied Meteorology from the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, China. He also holds a Masters in Geo-information science and systems from the University of Salzburg, Austria. He has several years’ national and international research experience, with over 36 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He has recently contributed to the development of the Atlas of Common Bean Production for Africa with the International Centre for Tropical Africa and the Pan African Bean Research Alliance.

Mr Ronald Opio

Makerere University

Ronald Opio is a Graduate Research Fellow and Teaching Assistant at Makerere University. His research interests include data science, artificial intelligence, data analytics and atmospheric science.

Photo credits

Banner: Lake George, Uganda – Copernicus Sentinel-2 Credit: ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.

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