A workshop has been held in Tamale to empower stakeholders to use the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Information Portal (CRVIP), an innovative digital platform designed to strengthen local responses to climate change. 

This platform is intended to support climate resilience and sustainable development by facilitating more effective decision-making on climate-related issues, particularly at the local level. 

Representatives from government agencies, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, and officials from the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly (TaMA) were among those who attended.

Organised by the African Foundation for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (AFCCSD), this initiative forms part of the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) initiative to provide the country with a holistic Adaptation Plan under the United Nations Environment Programme, with funding from the Green Climate Fund.

Participants included officials from TaMA’s Development Planning Unit, the Statistical and Agricultural Department, and the EPA.

It was to equip them with the knowledge and skills to effectively use the climate portal in planning for climate adaptation across the Metropolis.

During the training, Dr Franz Alex Gaisie Essilfie, a consultant on the project, explained that the portal was geospatial and provided a centralised platform for data visualisation and prediction to support informed decision-making.

He said the portal featured a dedicated server to ensure reliability, flexibility, and security, serving as a comprehensive hub for climate and risk data relevant to the Assembly.

The initiative is being piloted in three assemblies- Sefwi Bekwai, Sekondi-Takoradi, and Tamale.

Dr Steve Ampofo, Coordinating Consultant and Lecturer at CK Tedam University, emphasised that the training was tailored to help assemblies plan more effectively and respond to climate change issues for sustainable development.

The Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources at the University for Development Studies, Professor Samuel Jerry Cobbinah, emphasised the crucial role of natural resources in fostering sustainable development and climate resilience.

He highlighted its significance in mitigating climate-related losses and damages, particularly in vulnerable communities. 

Furthermore, he noted that the portal would facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing and heighten climate risk awareness, thereby enhancing community resilience.

Mohammed Salahudeen Salam, a participant, expressed gratitude to AFCCSD and its partners for the training. He committed to using the knowledge acquired to support other vulnerable communities.

Source: AcessAgric

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