In the Greater Horn of Africa, the Network of Climate Journalists in the Greater Horn of Africa (NECJOGHA) is harnessing the power of Climate Cafés to disseminate practical, engaging, and accessible weather and climate services to communities in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. These dynamic, community-driven events serve as a vital vehicle for fostering dialogue, sharing knowledge, and building networks that enhance the production and uptake of climate information. Alongside regional workshops, national climate conferences, village meetings, Barazas, digital training workshops, and engagements with women, youth, and special interest groups such as farmers, pastoralists, and fishermen, our Climate Cafés are transforming how climate services are communicated across the region, empowering communities to adapt to climate challenges.
What areClimate Cafés?
Climate Cafés are informal, interactive gatherings that unite journalists, climate scientists, policymakers, farmers, pastoralists, fishermen, women, youth, and community members in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to discuss and address weather and climate issues. These events create a welcoming space for participants to share local experiences, learn about climate services, and co-develop solutions tailored to their needs. By serving as a vehicle to disseminate weather and climate services, Climate Cafés ensure that critical information such as seasonal forecasts, drought preparedness strategies, or flood risk alerts is practical, relevant, and timely.
The Climate Café gave me a platform to share my challenges as a farmer and learn directly from experts how to adapt to changing rainfall patterns,” says Mary Wanjiku, a farmer from Kenya. Through open dialogue, these cafés bridge the gap between technical expertise and community action, fostering resilience across the Greater Horn of Africa.
NECJOGHA has organized or attended 30 networking and capacity-building events, including three impactful Climate Cafés held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, alongside regional workshops, national climate conferences, village meetings, Barazas, and digital training workshops.
A key achievement of our Climate Cafés is the creation of user-friendly platforms—such as mobile apps, radio programs, and online portals that simplify and disseminate climate services to diverse audiences. “The mobile app developed from our Climate Café discussions has made it so much easier for fishermen like me to access weather updates and plan our trips safely,” shares Juma Omari, a fisherman from Tanzania.
Additionally, NECJOGHA representatives have attended three national, regional, and global climate events, expanding our networks with technical experts. Qualitative evaluations confirm that these events have enhanced media professionals’ and experts’ abilities to communicate climate services, increasing the uptake of actionable information among communities.
