CILSS

Held from 22 to 25 September 2025, this training session enabled CILSS staff to consolidate their knowledge of the environmental and social management framework, gender principles, the complaints management mechanism, and good practices in Quality, Health, Safety, Security and Environment (QHSSE) . The initiative was supported by Component 1 of the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) and the Regional Project to Support Pastoralism in the Sahel-Phase 2 (PRAPS-2).

The interactive modules, led by experts in charge of gender and environmental safeguarding from PRAPS-2 and Component 1 of the FSRP, with the support of a consultant, focus on the environmental and social management framework, gender issues and gender-based violence, the complaints management mechanism, and QHSSE requirements and best practices. This training will strengthen CILSS's organisational culture around worker and environmental protection, safety, well-being and overall performance.

The Executive Secretary of CILSS, Dr Abdoulaye MOHAMADOU, welcomed the capacity-building initiative and noted its consistency with the institution's human resources management and development policy, which focuses on preserving safety, health and quality of life at work. He noted the imperative nature of the approach and expressed his willingness to support the operational integration of the concepts developed.

The participants recommended assessing the risks likely to impact the professional environment, followed by the development and implementation of an action plan. 

AGRHYMET Regional Climate Centre for West Africa and the Sahel (AGRHYMET CCR-AOS) officially launched the Regional Monitoring Room on Climate, Hydrological and Environmental Extremes named "Dr Mahalmoudou Hamadoun" in tribute to the late Director General of the institution (2021-2024).

The official launch ceremony took place at AGRHYMET's premises in Niamey under the patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger and under the supervision of the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock. It brought together several distinguished guests, including the 34 directors of meteorological and hydrological services from the 17 countries of West Africa and the Sahel, representatives of the six basin organisations in the region, representatives of intergovernmental organisations, representatives of CILSS technical and financial partners, etc. The Technical Advisor, representing the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Mr Yacouba Bouda, before officially inaugurating the Regional Monitoring Room, emphasised its importance as "a watchful eye enabling our countries to detect, analyse and anticipate effective early warnings of hydrological, climate and environmental risks, based on high-quality forecasts."

The Executive Secretary of CILSS welcomed the completion of the regional monitoring room, which will strengthen the capacity of the Sahel and West African region to address emerging climate challenges. For Dr Abdoulaye Mohamadou, this new tool will strengthen the link between science and decision-making for better risk awareness and coordinated and effective responses. He emphasised that the monitoring room is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, staffed by high-level technical and scientific expertise and linked to modern digital platforms fed in real time by very high-quality data. The regional monitoring room will provide the data and products needed by national mechanisms to strengthen informed decision-making based on credible information.

The inauguration of the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS Regional Monitoring Room marks a turning point in proactive climate risk management and will promote the sharing of data and expertise. The establishment of the monitoring room has been supported by the World Bank as part of the implementation of Component 1 of the Food System Resilience Programme in West Africa (FSRP) and the Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project, two regional projects promoting research and climate action.

From 5 to 9 May 2025, the Malian capital of Bamako hosted an exceptional edition of the PRESASS Forum, devoted to seasonal forecasts for West Africa and the Sahel. After 20 years in operation, this edition broke several records in terms of participation, technological innovation, community involvement and dissemination of results. A major milestone for climate resilience in the region, thanks to the support of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FRSP) Component 1 funded by the World Bank.

A historic turnout

Never before in the history of the PRESASS Forum - initiated in the 2000s - has a single event attracted so many participants. With more than 280 participants from the 17 member countries of West Africa and the Sahel, the Bamako event exceeded expectations.

This record attendance is all the more significant in that it reflects a strong regional dynamic of cooperation around climate risk management. Experts from national meteorological and hydrological services, researchers, representatives of regional institutions, farmers' organisations and representatives of civil society, humanitarian actors, journalists and communicators all came together to give substance to a shared vision: anticipate to act more effectively. "This massive turnout reflects a collective awareness that climate information is not a privilege, but a necessity", said Dr Agali Alhassane, Agrometeorological Expert and coordinator of component 1 of the FRSP.

Innovative digital services at the heart of the forum: AI to improve forecasting

The 2025 edition of the PRESASS Forum in Bamako marked a decisive turning point in the development of seasonal forecasts in West Africa and the Sahel. For the first time, artificial intelligence played a major role in the arsenal of forecasting tools used at the forum. This was made possible by intensive training sessions organised prior to the forum to build the capacity of national experts in a new generation of seasonal forecasts, based on objective approaches, breaking with the traditional consensual approach often marked by expert judgements considered subjective because they cannot be reproduced by third parties.

Thanks to the support of the AICCRA (Accelerating the Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa) and FSRP (Food System Resilience Program) projects, funded by the World Bank, this transition towards objective forecasts has resulted in the development and implementation of innovative tools such as WASS2S (West-African and Sahel Seasonal to Sub-seasonal), which automate traditional statistical methods while incorporating the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly Deep Learning.

These new tools are used to correct the biases in the output of the global climate centres' forecasting models using learning algorithms, to produce specific forecasts, and to combine traditional approaches with those of artificial intelligence. The process is now automated, traceable and reproducible: any climatologist in any country can apply the same methodology and obtain the same results. Although this approach has not yet been officially launched, the Bamako forum has enabled it to be used on a trial basis by a large number of climatologists. The official launch is planned for the very near future, with the participation of the directors of the national meteorological and hydrological services, to officially mark the institutional adoption of this new generation of seasonal forecasting services.

These innovations now place artificial intelligence at the heart of the seasonal forecasting process in West Africa and the Sahel, paving the way for more reliable, reproducible and transparent climate services tailored to the needs of end users. The PRESASS 2025 Forum thus marks the advent of a new era in which innovative climate services can further strengthen the resilience of the people of the Sahel and West Africa.

Co-production of climate information: users get fully involved

One of the aspects that this edition particularly emphasised was the direct involvement of users in the process of co-production in the interpretation of seasonal forecast products and the drafting of the final communiqué and recommendations. Farmers, livestock breeders, managers of water and hydroelectric power facilities, community development workers and representatives of farmers' organisations, as well as men and women from the media, took an active part in the working groups alongside the scientists. "We finally felt that our voice counted, that the advice was taking our local realities into account", said a Malian farmer who was the first to request climate information from Mali Météo.

This participatory approach has made it possible to enrich forecast information with local perceptions, to adapt messages to realities on the ground, and to co-develop agro-hydro-climatic advice based on both modern science and endogenous knowledge.

Broad dissemination of results: forecasting for the benefit of all

One of the strengths of this year's event was the quality and scope of the communication surrounding the results of the forum. The final communiqué from the seasonal forecasts forum was translated into English, then shared with all the stakeholders via television, radio, the written press and digital platforms (websites, social networks, etc.) at national and regional level, which enabled multiple beneficiaries to be reached.

These results were relayed by a number of partner community radio stations, which translated the information into several national languages. "PRESASS 2025 has made it possible for people to take greater ownership of climate information. In my country, almost everyone now knows the trend for the coming season", said a journalist from Niger.

This inclusive communication strategy, combined with the feedback workshops organised by the countries (see table), encourages the widespread dissemination of climate forecasts, strengthening decision-making at all levels: from national authorities to farm households.

The decisive support of the FSRP: a financial and logistical backbone

If the PRESASS 2025 Forum has reached this level of scale, it is largely thanks to the strategic support of Component 1 of the Food System Resilience Program (C1 FSRP) financed by the World Bank. The FSRP made it possible to: i) pay for the participation and logistics of several national delegations; ii) finance the digital platforms used during the forum; iii) produce technical and communication materials. In addition to funding, the FSRP has also positioned itself as a driving force for multi-stakeholder coordination, facilitating synergy between AGRHYMET CCR-AOS, ACMAD, the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of the 17 countries of West Africa and the Sahel, the river basin organisations and the representatives of the user interface platforms (from the agriculture and food security, water resources and disaster risk reduction, and climate security sectors). The strategic link between AICCRA and FSRP, two projects financed by the World Bank, is to be commended, with the former ensuring the promotion and appropriation of innovations in climate services, in order to create a catalyst enabling the latter to boost its investments.

Conclusion

The PRESASS 2025 Forum in Bamako not only broke attendance records, but above all set new standards for climate resilience in West Africa and the Sahel. It demonstrated that: i) technological integration (particularly AI) in climate services is a promising niche; ii) co-production guarantees more relevant and usable forecasts; iii) well-structured financial support, such as that provided by the World Bank (through the FSRP and AICCRA projects) and the AfDB (through the P2RS project), is an important lever for mobilising stakeholders and ensuring the sustainability of the process; iv) appropriate communication, focused on the use of services, is essential for transforming a forecast into anticipatory action.

After the regional forum in Bamako, the countries mobilised to take up the baton by holding national feedback sessions. Bamako 2025 heralds a new era for forecasting in West Africa and the Sahel, maximising on AI and making co-production and co-dissemination the most effective route to impact.

As part of the implementation of Component 1 of the West African Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), AGRHYMET CCR-AOS/CILSS, in collaboration with Walker Institute, organised a workshop from 21 to 26 July 2024 in Dakar (Senegal) for the co-development of training modules and the validation of training impact assessment tools. Walter Institute is affiliated to the University of Reading and is based in England. Modules have been co-developed to update the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS Training and Research Department (DFR) training courses, and online forms have been designed to enable the training courses to be evaluated.

This face-to-face workshop is the culmination of several virtual collaboration sessions with Walker Institute. It helped to strengthen the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS Centre's training programme by co-producing final content. The experts also formulated recommendations with a view to setting up a long-term AGRHYMET CCR-AOS/CILSS programme, including the organisation of summer schools.

Participants from the two institutions at the Dakar meeting defined a roadmap for their future collaboration. As a reminder, component 1 of the FSRP is entitled "Digital   advisory services for the prevention and management of agricultural and food crises" and is financed by the World Bank. The training component is integrated into Component 1 and plays a key role.

Component 1 of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FRSP), under the coordination of AGRHYMET CCR-AOS/CILSS, organised two regional technical meetings from 1 to 6 July 2024 in Accra (Ghana), with the French-speaking and English-speaking beneficiary countries : Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Chad, Togo, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Around fifty people took part in these two meetings.

The two regional meetings reviewed the implementation of component 1 of the FSRP, which concerns digital advisory services for the prevention and management of agricultural and food crises. At the official ceremonies of these meetings, the Head of the "Climate, Water and Weather" department of AGRHYMET CCR-AOS emphasised the importance of these frameworks, which provide an opportunity to meet both the PRSP coordinators (regional and national) and, above all, the technical services responsible for implementing the project. "These meetings will enable the PRSP coordinations to better understand the needs of the technical services and to take them into account in their planning", said Dr Abdou Ali. The host country's PRSP National Coordinator, Osei Owusu Agyeman, stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together: "We must all join forces to combat food insecurity. This is why we have come together".

Through plenary sessions and group discussions, these meetings enabled countries to share their experiences. It emerged from the presentations that some successes have been achieved, but that there are still challenges to be met. The discussions also provided an opportunity to learn more about the activities of AGRHYMET CCR-AOS through the presentation of the "Guide to services" brochure by the Coordinator, Dr Agali Alhassane. The discussions provided a common understanding of the programme's monitoring and evaluation indicators.

In addition, the FSRP Component 1 mission team collected the institutional needs of participants by country. These needs focused mainly on tailor-made or long-term technical training courses on the themes covered by the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS/CILSS offers. Before the end of each meeting, participants made a number of recommendations. One of these, addressed to AGRHYMET CCR-AOS, concerned the regular organisation of regional technical meetings with the beneficiary countries. 

As part of the implementation of Component 1 of the West African Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), a capacity-building workshop was held from 24 to 26 June 2024 in Niamey/Niger for the staff of AGRHYMET CCR-AOS, a specialised agency of the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) based in Niamey. This in situ training focused on the theme: "Taking into account gender and gender-based violence (GBV), sexual abuse and exploitation (SAE) and sexual harassment (SH) in the development of food and nutrition security projects and programmes". It was organised as part of FSRP component 1 entitled "Digital advisory services for the prevention and management of agricultural and food crises", implemented by AGRHYMET CCR-AOS with funding from the World Bank. The aim is to contribute to the elimination of inequalities between men and women in activities in the agricultural and climate sectors. This important training course was attended by some twenty AGRHYMET CCR-AOS experts active in the design and implementation of projects and programmes for the benefit of West African and Sahelian communities.

At the opening ceremony, the Coordinator of Component 1 of the FSRP project, Dr Alhassane Agali, welcomed the participants. He stressed that the issues of environmental and social safeguards, in general, and GBV and AES/HS, in particular, are firmly on the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS agenda as important performance standards for the security of the stakeholders and beneficiaries of its interventions in the countries of West Africa and the Sahel. The training workshop was opened by Prof. Atta Sanoussi, Head of the Training and Research Department (DFR), representing the Director General of AGRHYMET CCR-AOS. In his speech, Pr Sanoussi mentioned the relevance of the activity, which is in line with the CILSS gender policy, and congratulated the FSRP project's component 1 on its choice of theme and pedagogical approach.

The workshop was jointly facilitated by Dr Mariame Maïga, Regional Gender and Social Development Advisor at CORAF (Senegal) and the FSRP's GBV Prevention, Response and Mitigation Expert, Ms Assétou Kaboré (Niger) based at AGRHYMET CCR-AOS. At the end of the workshop, the participants expressed their satisfaction with the new knowledge acquired in relation to gender and GBV. Indeed, the trainers clarified the concepts of gender and GBV in relation specifically to food and nutritional security, a vital area for women and men exposed to the effects of climate change in the sub-region. 

Forty (41) participants, including 08 women, all staff members of the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS Regional Centre, familiarised themselves with the concepts of "Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSSE) at work" from 6 to 9 May 2024 in Niamey, Niger. This hybrid (face-to-face and online) training course was organised as part of the implementation of Component 1 of the West African Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) funded by the World Bank.

At the official opening ceremony on 6 May, the Head of Component 1 of the FRSP, Dr Alhassane Agali, welcomed participants and set the context for this meeting, which was part of the implementation of environmental and social safeguard activities, including Exploitation, Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment (EAS/HS). The Director General of AGRHYMET, represented by Dr Abdou Ali, Head of the Information and Research Department, praised the relevance of the theme and encouraged participants to make the most of it.

The modules focused on QHSSE regulations and risks. During the training, the head of the CILSS Management and Human Resources Unit presented the CILSS staff performance evaluation system. The training course was well attended, and linked theory and practice through a guided tour of the entomology laboratory and the AGRHYMET TELECOM room.

QHSSE refers to a set of disciplines and practices implemented in organisations to ensure a safe, healthy, environmentally-friendly and high-quality working environment.

This training will bring considerable benefits to the learners in terms of safety, health, skills and well-being, while making a positive contribution to the efficiency and reputation of the AGRHYMET regional centre. This is why the Director General of the AGRHYMET regional centre, Dr Mahalmoudou Hamadoun Maiga, did not fail to welcome the results achieved while urging the workers benefiting from this training to put into practice the knowledge acquired for the benefit of the AGRHYMET CCR-AOS centre.