Oxfam Officially Hands Over Weather Station Equipment to UNIMA

Just weeks after the Department of Geography, Earth Sciences and Environment at the University of Malawi received new weather monitoring equipment, representatives from Oxfam visited the department to officially hand over the tools. The newly installed equipment is expected to significantly enhance the department’s ability to collect and monitor weather data.

Oxfam is working in collaboration with Zomba City Council, the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD), and the Department of Geography, Earth Sciences and Environment at UNIMA to implement various urban climate resilience interventions. These include the establishment of a city-wide early warning system for floods.

The weather station is equipped to measure a range of atmospheric parameters including wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, solar radiation, temperature, rainfall, and more. With this new digital system, the department will transition from its previous analogy setup to a more efficient and automated data collection process.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at the university’s on-campus weather station, the Head of the Geography, Earth Sciences and Environment Department, Dr Miriam Joshua, emphasized the importance of the upgrade. She noted that the digital system would address challenges previously experienced with the analogy system, such as data gaps caused by the absence of monitoring personnel. The new setup allows for continuous automatic data capture, with real-time updates to be displayed on a screen that will be mounted at the Porter’s Lodge, making weather information easily accessible to the wider UNIMA community.

Oxfam Malawi’s Country Director, Mrs. Lingalireni Mihowa, highlighted the project's significance for Zomba's resilience. She described the project as timely, especially in light of the recent increase in cyclone activity in Malawi.

“When the project was being conceptualized back in 2018, we had no idea that cyclones would become such a pressing issue. But it has turned out to be one of the most relevant and appropriate projects considering the current situation,” she said.