The Climate and Oceans Support Program for the Pacific’s (COSPPac) Climate Traditional Knowledge (TK) component has started the first of many trainings to ensure the smooth transition of project activities from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The climate traditional knowledge project is assisting Pacific National Meteorological Services to capture, monitor and store traditional knowledge and integrate these with scientific observations to enhance weather and climate forecasting.
Two SPREP IT staff were recently hosted by the Bureau from 1-5 August for the TK database training and handover of the Climate TK database and codes, followed by an installation and follow-up training at SPREP from 9-12 August.
The Climate TK server contains a specially designed database with user friendly interface and coding that allows remote updates by Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the countries involved with the project, for easier maintenance.
The database is designed to be able to input all data from major TK products, including the Protocol, Survey and Monitoring form in written, picture, audio and video formats.
Non-weather related TK can also be stored within the database. The TK Database is designed to ensure that information is stored in a safe and secure environment that respects individuals' intellectual property and cultural sensitivities around data sharing and use. The TK database is housed within SPREP.
Dr Kadhiza Tahera (BOM IT), Billy Chan Ting and Ainsof Soo (SPREP IT) during their 1 week training in Melbourne