Seasonal weather forecasting for agricultural, water,
and fisheries impacts planning through innovative computing
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UCT
(University of Cape Town) |
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Proposal number: |
23204 |
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Focal area: |
Information Society |
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Total funding: |
R 8,794,000 |
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Funding year 1: |
R 3,828,000 |
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Funding year 2: |
R 1,353,000 |
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Funding year 3: |
R 3,613,000 |
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The southern African climate system displays a high degree of
seasonal and inter-annual variability and compounds society’s
strong dependence on the climate system, especially in the key
sectors of agriculture, water resources, industry, and fisheries.
In past years this has resulted in severe financial losses at all
levels of society and poses a significant impediment to
socio-economic development. Mitigation of such impacts through
forward planning is dependent upon adequate seasonal forecasting.
This project seeks to develop high-resolution
seasonal forecasting through computer-based modeling of the
climate system. In this manner the project will provide a
framework for appropriate forward planning of resource management
to mitigate the impacts of seasonal variability. As has been
demonstrated in other countries, such seasonal forecasts have the
potential to save the nation substantial costs, and helps to
introduce consistent management of sensitive agricultural and
natural resources.
The project will apply dynamical computer models
to integrate the seasonal evolution of the coupled
ocean-land-atmosphere system, using innovative computing resources
to achieve the requisite supercomputing performance. |
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Project Coordinator: |
Dr Bruce Hewitson
Phone: +27 (0)21 650 2878
Email: hewitson@egs.uct.ac.za |
Public reports / Newsletters:
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