Rwanda: Data That Power Water Security
In Rwanda, the rhythm of life depends on water. Farmers watch the skies to know when to plant, hydropower plants rely on steady river flows, and families depend on safe drinking water. Yet changing rainfall patterns, driven by climate change, make that rhythm harder to predict. Better data are now helping Rwanda turn uncertainty into action.
From silence to signals
Until recently, Rwanda relied on just five weather stations to feed data into the global system — and only the one at Kigali International Airport reported according to international standards. The others operated just 12 hours a day, leaving critical blind spots when storms or droughts struck. With SOFF support, three of these stations have now been fully upgraded with modern sensors, automated loggers, and real-time transmission through the WMO Information System. For the first time, Rwanda’s surface network will meet GBON standards, providing continuous, high-quality data on rainfall, wind, humidity, and temperature.
Turning data into resilience
Upgraded infrastructure is only part of the story. Staff at the Rwanda Meteorology Agency (Meteo Rwanda) are being trained to maintain and operate the stations, ensuring that progress is sustainable. These improvements are already strengthening local forecasts, helping farmers prepare for rains and enabling hydropower operators to better manage river flows. Rwanda is also part of the Water at the Heart of Climate Action initiative, linking stronger observations to better water management and regional climate resilience. By connecting data to water security, the country is showing how climate adaptation can start with observations.
SOFF at work in Rwanda
Rwanda entered the SOFF Investment Phase in 2024 with USD 3.5 million in grant finance. Of this, USD 3.1 million is channelled through UNDP as Implementing Entity, with USD 0.4 million for technical support from the Finnish Meteorological Institute as Peer Advisor. By late 2025, all three upgraded GBON-compliant stations were reporting data globally, and preparations were underway for Rwanda’s first upper-air station, with test launches expected early 2026.
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