<<January 17, 2009>>

<<January 17, 2009>>
Archived distributions can be retrieved at;
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This archive includes a html version of this list distribution and its MS/WORD version with its filename as “month-date-year.doc.” You can also access all of its attachments, if any.

Dula Shanko
Deputy Director General
Head, Data Management and Dissemination Department
National Meteorological Services Agency
P. O. Box 20231 cod 1000
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tele 2511615779 office
cel 251911208020
2511 236286 home
du_shanko@yahoo.com

Reference:

(a) (12/19/08)-B Creating GUS/Ethiopia along with setting up of Beowulf mini-supercomputers for early warning on weather, climate, drought, flooding, etc.
http://tinyurl.com/97f39l

(b) (12/30/08) Powua for local meteorological forecasting with GUS/Ethiopia
http://tinyurl.com/9qj26z

(c) (01/05/09) Powua for local meteorological forecasting with GUS/Ethiopia and some possible emulation to Bangladesh
http://tinyurl.com/9hpw4p

(d) (01/09/09) Plan to estimate size of Powua for local meteorological forecasting in Ethiopia
http://tinyurl.com/73yvr3

(e) Colin Allison, Stefano A. Cerri, Matteo Gaeta, Pierluigi Ritrovato, and Saverio Salerno, “Human Learning as a Global Challenge: European Learning GRID Infrastructure,”
http://tinyurl.com/3ybttv

See following sections in this paper;

(i) The Vision: An Example Scenario - Learning About the Weather
(ii) Complementarities and Cooperation patterns
between E-LeGI and GUS / GCEPG

This paper is in the following book;

Global Peace Through The Global University System
Tapio Varis - Takeshi Utsumi - William Klemm (Eds.)
University of Tampere, Finland 2003
ISBN 951-44-5695-5
The entire contents of this book can be retrieved at;
http://tinyurl.com/kofpf

In the bottom line of this page, you can find the following;
“Interview with Takeshi Utsumi” by Parker Rossman
http://tinyurl.com/fnxxt

Dear Dula:

(1) Many thanks for your msg (ATTACHMENT I) in response to the Reference (c) above.

(2) I also greatly appreciate to receive your first draft of the following concept paper;

"Enhancing Weather and Climate Prediction Project in Ethiopia"
http://tinyurl.com/97mpds

This is an excellent write-up, indeed.

(3) I think that this is a quite legitimate and viable project.

I also thank you for your answering to my questions in ATTACHMENT I.

(4) Although I am getting the full picture of this project, I am still not quite clear about the capacity building, i.e., who are going to take care of maintenance and of conducting weather forecasting simulation, etc., at your branch offices scattered around Ethiopia.

I believe that the success of any project depends on the people who would handle it. This is because, getting fund and setting hardware and software up can be done, but those would be short period project, and would not solve the long-range problem.

Is there any possibility of getting help from nearby universities or colleges? -- see Reference (c) above. The example proposed in it would foster weather forecasting experts.

(5) I also noted that (i) the broadband Internet at your headquarters is only 128 Kbps (*) and (ii) some branch office has to transfer weather data by postal mail. This seems that your data gathering and transferring system would need substantial upgrading.

(*) Cannot your office access the Broadband Multimedia Internet (BMI), which was established with the fund (US$25 million) of the World Bank to deploy 2.5 Gbps optical fiber network from Kenya? -- see Item (4) of the following list distribution;

(05/24/08) 5000 Ph.D. in 10 yrs Program at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia
http://tinyurl.com/6q355b

(6) I am delighted to know your intention to have wind mapping for wind energy in the future, even though the electricity of Ethiopia is now mainly by hydro-power.

(7) Although the cost of Beowulf mini supercomputer at each branch office may not be much, the data gathering and interconnection of them through the BMI and the capital building, etc. may amount substantial cost.

Subsequently, I would suggest that you would consider to hold several planning workshops and hence the construction of comprehensive project proposals, which would then be submitted to various funding sources, e.g, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan Special Development Fund of the World Bank, etc.

Keep in touch.

Best, Tak

ATTACHMENT I

From: dula shanko <du_shanko@yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:05:21 -0800 (PST)
To: Tak Utsumi <utsumi@columbia.edu>
Subject: Concept project on Powua for local meteorological forecasting in Ethiopia

Dear Dr Takasi Utsumi

How are you with all your family? I am fine.

Please find the following information and the attached Project propsal conept for Ethiopia.

Dula

========================

It sounds very impressive for us.

Regarding the questions, I would like to answer as follows.

(a) Do you wish to have a Beowulf mini-supercomputer at each of your 11 branch offices for their local meteorological forecasting of early warning on weather, climate, drought, flooding, etc.

Yes indeed because we have an agrarian economy.

(b) In the future, do you plan to interface some of them to have larger coverage, say, even for entire Ethiopian country?

Our intent, we are already started NWP at head quarter and we will bolster it and then downscale to the branch offices.

We have fair data gathering system from different class meteorological stations at each branch office.

(d) How is the capacity building aspect at your local branch offices?

Not adequate in numerical weather prediction

(e) Do you have any consideration to provide your forecasting information to other ministries of Ethiopian government, e.g. Ministry of Agriculture, etc

We already disseminate weather and climate forecast to various governmental and non-governmental organization in agricultural, water sectors and health. The decision and policy makers and the general public are using our products. We will pursue rendering our products.

A concept paper for the project is attached here in this email. Please find it

Best Regards

*******************************************************************************
* Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman, GLOSAS/USA                           *
* (GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A.)          *
* Laureate of Lord Perry Award for Excellence in Distance Education           *
* Founder and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of                         *
*   Global University System (GUS)                                            *
* 43-23 Colden Street, Flushing, NY 11355-5913, U.S.A.                        *
* Tel: 718-939-0928; Email: utsumi@columbia.edu                               *
* http://www.itu.int/wsis/goldenbook/search/display.asp?Quest=8032562&lang=en *
* http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/                                     *
* U.S. Federal Tax Exempt ID: 11-2999676 <http://tinyurl.com/534gxc>          *
* New York State Tax Exempt ID: 217837 <http://tinyurl.com/47wqbo>            *
*******************************************************************************