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Roundup: Space technology improves weather monitoring in Kenya

Xinhua, June 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya's capacity to collect and disseminate weather related information has improved drastically thanks to use of satellite technology, an official said on Wednesday.

Ignatius Gitonga, an Assistant Director in charge of Remote Sensing at Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) said large scale application of space technology has revolutionized weather forecasting in Kenya.

"The benefits of space technology in monitoring and reporting weather patterns are immense to include accuracy and timeliness," Gitonga remarked, adding that Kenya is ahead of its African peers in harnessing space science to re-invent meteorology.

He spoke to Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing space technology conference in Nairobi where policymakers and experts discuss on the role of space technology and applications in wildlife and ecosystems management.

Gitonga singled out weather forecasting as the greatest beneficiary of advancement in space technology.

"We are relying heavily on space technology to collect and transmit weather data in real time. This technology has helped us detect and warn the public against looming climate disasters like El Nino," said Gitonga.

The East Africa nation is linked to satellites owned by industrial powerhouses as part of bilateral agreement on sharing of weather related data.

According to Gitonga, the Kenyan meteorological department has been able to obtain critical weather information for free thanks to satellite technology funded by major powers.

"We have access to weather satellites from different countries. It is now possible to obtain images from these satellites after 15 minutes down from 30 minutes using conventional methods of weather monitoring," said Gitonga.

Kenya is a regional hub for adoption of remote sensing in weather forecasting thanks to enactment of friendly policies to support research and training in this endeavor.

Gitonga revealed to Xinhua that Kenya has been offering training on use of remote sensing in meteorology to experts from other Anglophone countries.

"Besides training, we also develop satellite data interpretation modules that are available online to weathermen and policymakers in this region and beyond," said Gitonga.

He added that additional investments in human capital and infrastructure were required to strengthen application of space technology in meteorology. Endit