Departements

The AGRHYMET Regional Centre is composed of three departments: the Information and Research Department (DIR); the Training and Research Department and the Technical Support Department.

1- Information and Research Department : The Information and Research Department (DIR) is a technical department whose mandate is the collection, analysis and management of biophysical and socio-economic data on the one hand, and the transfer of methodological tools, production and dissemination of information on food security, markets, water control, natural resources management and the environment on the other hand. (for more information contact the head of the department Dr Abdou Ali at the following address: abdou.ali@cilss.int)

This department is organized in 2 Divisions:

• The Food Security and Markets Division which deals with:
• The collection and management of biophysical and agro-socio-economic data;
• The exploitation of these data for forecasting and early warning purposes;
• The transfer and dissemination of products and achievements to users;
• The collection and management of data on agri-food and socio-economic markets;
• The use of these data for forecasting, early warning, promotion of trade in agri-food products and advice to decision-makers, economic operators and other food security actors involved in agri-food trade;
• Technical support to national market information systems in order to strengthen them. (for more information contact the head of the division Mr. TRAORE Sy Martial at the following address: martial.traore@cilss.int )
• The Water Management and Desertification Control Division which deals with :

In the field of Water Management:

• To collect, manage, analyze and disseminate climatic, meteorological and hydrological information on the main rivers, water bodies and water tables (quantity, quality, availability and uses);
• To analyze the conjunctural situations related to the current climatic, meteorological, hydrological and hydro-geological conditions in order to characterize the campaign compared to the normal or average with an accent on the forecast information (flood, low water);
• To carry out and evaluate, in collaboration with the world and regional forecasting centers, the seasonal forecasts of rainfall and runoff of the main rivers of the region at the beginning of each rainy season;
• To develop new products adapted and specific to certain users of information on water resources (irrigators, fishermen,..) in collaboration with the UIR/SA
• To develop tools and processes for decision support to designers, managers of hydraulic works and users of surface and deep waters in order to stabilize their productions and increase their productivity and to manage water resources in a sustainable and integrated way;
• To contribute to the promotion of IWRM in the Member States

In the field of the fight against desertification :

• the collection of biophysical and satellite information available at the regional and international level;
• the constitution of databases and regional and national information centers at the level of each country;
• the valorisation of the existing geo-referenced database and the realisation of analyses;
• the evaluation and continuous monitoring of the evolution of ecosystems;
• the development and implementation of methods and techniques for monitoring natural resources in collaboration with CRA services and external partners;
• Transfer of these tools to the NACs through training actions and/or workshops in collaboration with the DRF Divisions;
  (for more information contact the head of the division Mr. Issa GARBA at the following address: garba.issa@cilss.int )

2- Training and Research Department
The Training and Research Department (DFR) is mandated to strengthen the capacities of CILSS member countries in areas related to food security, water control and natural resources management and the fight against desertification through basic training (diploma training) and continuous training. (for more information contact the head of the department Prof. Sanoussi ATTA at the following address: sanoussi.atta@cilss.int)

This department is organized in 2 Divisions:

• The Division of Basic Training comprising four courses: Plant Protection, Agrometeorology, Hydrology, Instruments and Microcomputing for the cycles Engineers and Senior Technicians and Masters in integrated management of water resources and environment, in climate change and sustainable development, in sustainable protection of crops and environment, in sustainable land management and finally in food and nutritional security. These courses lead to diplomas at the Master’s, Engineer and Senior Technician levels.
• The Continuing Education Division
• Topics :
• Sustainable agriculture
• Integrated management of agricultural production
• Gender and agricultural development
• Management of natural resources
• Phytosanitary control
• Management of hydrological and climatic databases, etc.
• Types of training :
• Group trainings
• Action trainings
• Training at the request of the customer
• Infrastructures
• Molecular Biology Laboratory
• Biocarbon laboratory
• Laboratories: Phytopathology, Agricultural Zoology, Hydrology, Phytopharmacy
• Insectarium
• Hydrological satellite
• Agrometeorological satellite
• Agrometeorological park
• 1 Amphitheater of 120 seats

3- Technical Support Department
The Technical Support Department (D.A.T) is mandated to support and assist the other entities of the AGRHYMET Regional Center (CRA) in the field of computer science, methods development, applications, databases, computer and infrastructure maintenance, network management, telecommunications and valorization of the field. (for more information contact the head of the department Mr. Henri SONGOTI at the following address: songoti.henri@cilss.int).

This department is organized in 3 Divisions:

• The Database and Software Engineering Division.
• The Computer Maintenance and Telecommunications Division.
• The Division of Infrastructure Maintenance and Domain Valorization.