Sixteen begin hydrological training on Monday
-as Guyana prepares to deal with climate change

Georgetown, GINA, April 25, 2008

The issue of climate change is engaging governments worldwide as they seek ways to try to grapple with its negative effects. Locally, the Ministry of Agriculture which is responsible for dealing with this issue is building its human resource capacity to be able to adequately deal with issues surrounding the climate change phenomenon.
            The Ministry in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas and the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) will host an eight-month hydrological training course that will be conducted by lecturers of the Barbados-based CIMH.           The course starts on April 28.
            Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud said the subject of weather and climate is very topical since agriculture is affected by climate change.
            “Countries like Guyana and other small islands are very vulnerable to the hazards that climate change incurs. Hence, we have to develop the capacity at all levels to help in mitigating the effects of climate change,” he said.
The training programme which will cost $8 M  will see the schooling of middle level technicians in hydrology, the science of dealing with the properties, distribution, and circulation of water on and below the earth's surface and in the atmosphere.
Participants include staff of the hydro meteorological office, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, the Mahaicony/Mahaica/Abary Department Authority, and persons who were selected based on interviews.
            The programme is being sponsored by the WWF. Its Country Director, Dr. Patrick Williams said the course is very important for the hydrometeorological service since it plays a critical role in managing fresh water resources in Guyana.
He said it is essential that management of the country’s fresh water should be done in a holistic and comprehensive way. He added that after the training there will be increased capacity to collect information that is critical for fresh water management.
In addition to the training there will be the provision of two water level recorders which will be placed at strategic locations of fresh water systems. They will be used to monitor water quality and determine the potential of rivers for hydropower.
            Guyana’s hydrometeorological office is responsible for managing and operating the national hydrological network and to monitor the availability, quality and use of Guyana’s surface water such as rivers, creeks, and lakes. There is also monitoring of ground water systems.
The hydrological training will allow for more efficiency in the functions of the hydrometeorological department.

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