Former ZEF Research Projects
© ZEF

WASCAL - West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use

WASCAL the West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use is an international large-scale and research-focused Climate Service Center designed to develop effective adaptation and mitigation measures to climate change for West Africa. It was established by its 10 member countries with the support of the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).

Project Homepage

http://www.wascal.org/

Keywords

Climate change, Land use, Adaptation, Mitigation, Capacity building

Countries

Germany, Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sénégal, Togo

Duration

The WASCAL planning phase was launched in 2010. The implementation phase started in October 2012 and continues until April 2018.

Methodology

WASCAL addresses its objectives by strengthening the research infrastructure and capacity in West Africa related to climate change and by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. It is organized around three principle components:

  1. Competence Center
  2. Core Studies Program
  3. Graduate Research Program

The Competence Center carries out research and provides science-based advice to policymakers and stakeholders on climate change impacts, mitigation, and adaptation measures. The Research Program is implemented by a network of German and West African research institutes. The Graduate Studies Program runs 10 Graduate Schools (6 doctoral programs and four Master programs), which will contribute to the education of the next generation of African scientists and policy makers in the field of climate change and land management.

Partners

Main Cooperation Partners

Main Funding Partner

See details and links at www.wascal.org 

German partners

  • Department of Geography, University of Bonn
  • Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bonn
  • Department of Geography, University of Augsburg
  • Faculty of Biology, University of Würzburg
  • Department of Geography and Geology, University of Würzburg
  • Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum (DKRZ), Hamburg
  • Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) – Deutsches
  • Fernerkundungsdatenzentrum (DFD), Oberpfaffenhofen
  • Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ)
  • Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) – IMK-IFU, Garmisch-Partenkirchen


Partners in West Africa

  • Université d'Abomey Calavi (Bénin)
  • Université de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
  • University of the Gambia (The Gambia)
  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) (Ghana)
  • University of Development Studies (Ghana)
  • Université Abobo-Adjamé (Côte d'Ivoire)
  • Université de Cocody-Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire)
  • Université de Bamako (Mali)
  • Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey (Niger)
  • Ahmadu Bello University (Nigeria)
  • The Federal University of Technology, Akure (Nigeria)
  • The Federal University of Technology, Minna (Nigeria)
  • Obafemi Awolowo University (Nigeria)
  • University of Calabar (Nigeria)
  • Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (Sénégal)
  • Université Gaston Berger (Sénégal)
  • Université de Kara (Togo)
  • Université de Lomé (Togo)
  • National Meteorological Services of Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Togo
  • National Water Resource Authorities of Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Togo
  • National Agricultural Research Systems of Bénin, Burkina Faso Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Togo
  • Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Further Information

The WASCAL-Geoportal is a web service providing geospatial and thematic data along with other digital resources which are generated by the WASCAL research projects.

Team

  • Prof. Dr. Christian Borgemeister
  • Prof. Dr. Joachim von Braun
  • Prof. Dr. Eva Youkhana

German Project Administration:

  • Dr. Manfred Denich (WASCAL Coordinator)
  • Dr. John Lamers (WASCAL Coordinator)
  • Dilfuza Djumaeva
  • Doris Fuß
  • Haik Gregorian (Adminstrative Coordinator)
  • Sarah Verleysdonk (Adminstrative Coordinator)
  • Urs Charpa (Coordinator Graduate Research Program)
  • Maria Ullrich (Coordinator Graduate Research Program)
  • Antonio Rogmann (Data Management)
  • Jelana Vajen (Public Relations)

Senior Researchers:

  • Dr. Daniel Callo-Concha
  • Dr. Irit Eguavoen
  • Dr. Papa Sow
  • Dr. Bernhard Tischbein
  • Dr. Grace Villamor
  • Dr. Dominik Wisser
  • Dr. Tobias Wünscher