Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology is prepared to acquire and file local weather knowledge in actual time, following the digitization of its climate station. The knowledge collected on the station will robotically be transmitted to a particular laptop, positioned on the University’s Geographic Information System (GIS) Laboratory. On Monday, 15 April, 2024, MMUST hosted a group from the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), who not solely assessed the progress of the climate station, but in addition helped with the configuration of the pc {hardware} system. The guests had been acquired by the Dean-School of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance (SDMHA)- Dr. Ferdinand Nabiswa.
“MMUST envisions to be part of the global space on matters meteorological data collection and reporting. With the digitization of the weather station, this University is indeed on the right track to leading the fight against climate change in Kenya,” said Dr. Nabiswa. The Dean-SDMHA additionally revealed that his School has been working with the Institute of Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Studies and Climate Change (IIKCSCC), led by Prof. Josephine Ngaira, to push the local weather motion agenda. He added, “The Memorandum of Understanding between MMUST and KMD is being fine-tuned by the Directorate of International Relations and Academic Linkages and we hope to sign it as soon as possible.”
Dr. Ferdinand Nabiswa explains some extent in the course of the go to by the Kenya Meteorological Department on the MMUST climate station.
The Deputy Director, accountable for Meteorological Services (Western Region)-Mr. Peter Macharia, identified that growing the variety of climate stations, just like the one in MMUST, has enabled the Department to produce correct predictions. “We are determined to revamp the MMUST weather station, so much so that it captures the entire meteorological parameters,” he mentioned.
“Kenya Met has had close relations with MMUST and together we have conducted a number of projects including the establishment of this weather station. Some of our staff have been trained in this University, while others have joined the Department of Emergency Management Studies housed in the School of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance,” said the Deputy Director, Aviation Meteorological Services-Mr. Charles Mugah. Further, Mr. Mugah reiterated that many climate stations are a plus for KMD, as they assist to enhance the accuracy of the data relayed by the Department, as effectively as help them of their analysis.
Eng. Kennedy Obongo leads the MMUST and KMD groups to configure the pc {hardware} system on the GIS lab.
The Kakamega County Director of Meteorological Services-Mr. Vincent Sakwa, acknowledged that MMUST is endowed with scientists who’re well-versed in climate and local weather knowledge assortment, saying that that is essential to producing high quality statistics. He additionally recommended the University for having nice safety, as a result of the tools on the climate station have remained intact. Notably, the KMD group was accompanied by Eng. Kennedy Obongo, as effectively as Mr. Arthur Kuria.
The Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology digitization of the information collected on the climate station will definitely enhance climate forecasting accuracy not solely within the Western area, but in addition in all the nation. This transfer will doubtless place MMUST on the forefront of meteorological knowledge assortment and reporting, and of combating local weather change and its impacts.