Mauri and Welcome to SOFF Project

 

Here's some background information of SOFF Project in Kiribati:

The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) is a global initiative designed to support countries—especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs)—in strengthening their capacity for weather and climate observations.

As part of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) framework, SOFF provides long-term, grant-based funding and technical support to improve the generation and sharing of essential weather, climate, and hydrological data. This is critical for accurate weather forecasting, climate monitoring, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development.

SOFF Project Background

SOFF in the Context of Kiribati

The Kiribati Meteorological Services (KMS) plays a vital role in protecting lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems through timely and accurate climate and weather information. However, like many small island nations, Kiribati faces unique challenges, including:

  • Limited observing infrastructure
  • Vulnerability to extreme weather events and rising sea levels
  • Resource constraints in maintaining modern meteorological equipment and systems

Through the SOFF project, Kiribati aims to strengthen its ground-based observing systems and ensure that its observational data contribute to and benefit from the Global Basic Observing Network (GBON)—a WMO standard for essential climate observations.

 

Project Goals and Activities

The SOFF initiative in Kiribati focuses on:

  • Upgrading weather observation infrastructure, such as automatic weather stations (AWS)
  • Training and capacity building for KMS staff in data collection, quality control, and reporting
  • Ensuring data interoperability and integration with international climate databases
  • Strengthening regional collaboration with other Pacific island meteorological services
 

Benefits to Kiribati and the Pacific Region

By participating in the SOFF initiative, Kiribati will:

  • Improve early warning systems and climate resilience
  • Strengthen the country’s role in regional and global climate monitoring networks
  • Access better forecasts that support agriculture, fisheries, water resource management, and disaster risk planning
  • Contribute to global efforts to combat climate change through shared, high-quality data
 

Partnership and Support

The SOFF Project is supported by a broad coalition of partners, including:

  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
  • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • Multilateral development banks
  • Regional and national meteorological agencies

For Kiribati, technical implementation is carried out in partnership with regional bodies such as the SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme) and PIFS (Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat).