REPORT ON THE INTRODUCTION OF CLIMATE INFORMATION SERVICES (CIS) WITHIN THE AGNES LEADERSHIP COURSE Workshop Report Majambo Gamoyo, Jemal Seid, Grace Koech, Amanda Grossi, Aniruddha Ghosh April 2025 To cite this report Gamoyo, M., Ahmed, J., Koech,G., Grossi, A., Ghosh, A. (2025). AICCRA Workshop Report. Report on the Introduction of Climate Information Services (CIS) in the AGNES Leadership Course. Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA). Acknowledgements Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) is a project that helps deliver a climate-smart African future driven by science and innovation in agriculture. It is led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and supported by a grant from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank. The authors would like to thank AGNES for their leadership, coordination, and commitment to strengthening climate governance across Africa, and for providing a platform through the Leadership Course to introduce and explore the integration of Climate Information Services (CIS) as a critical tool for informed decision-making and resilient development. About AICCRA Reports Titles in this series aim to disseminate interim research on the scaling of climate services and climate-smart agriculture in Africa, in order to stimulate feedback from the scientific community. Photos Cover photo: © CIAT/Neil Palmer Disclaimer This working paper has not been peer reviewed. Any opinions stated herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of AICCRA, donors, or partners. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non-commercial 4.0 International License. Partners WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) ABSTRACT This report summarizes a training session on Climate Information Services (CIS) delivered as part of the AGNES Leadership Course on Climate Governance, Diplomacy, and Negotiations. The training aimed to introduce participants to the foundational concepts of CIS and its critical role in climate-informed decision- making, with a particular emphasis on the agriculture sector. Delivered through a mix of presentations, interactive discussions, and real-world examples, the session explored the four pillars of CIS generation, translation, transfer, and use and demonstrated how CIS can support anticipatory action, policy planning, and resilience building. The session was well-received, with participants expressing keen interest in deepening their understanding and applying CIS in their respective sectors. The training sets the stage for the proposed integration of CIS as a formal module within the AGNES leadership curriculum. Keywords Climate information services (CIS); early warning Systems; capacity building; curriculum. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Majambo Gamoyo is a Research Specialist at the Alliance of Bioversity and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Jemal Seid is Data Science Specialist for Climate Information Service at the Alliance of Bioversity and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Grace Koech is a Senior Research Associate at the Alliance of Bioversity and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). Amanda Grossi is Reseach Team Leader at the Alliance of Bioversity and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the Partnerships Engagement Manager & Capacity Development Lead for the AICCRA Climate Information Services (CIS) thematic program. Aniruddha Ghosh is a Senior Scientist at the Alliance of Bioversity and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the Thematic Lead for the AICCRA Climate Information Services (CIS) thematic program. WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 1 CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................. i Keywords ...................................................................................... i About the authors ............................................................................. ii Contents ........................................................................................... 1 Acronyms .......................................................................................... 2 Introduction ...................................................................................... 3 Background information ................................................................ 3 Objectives .................................................................................. 4 Approaches and methods .................................................................. 5 Structured Presentation ................................................................ 5 Interactive Discussions ................................................................. 5 Key results and findings .................................................................... 6 Conclusion and recommendations ..................................................... 7 Conclusion .................................................................................. 7 Recommendations ........................................................................ 7 WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 2 ACRONYMS AICCRA Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa AGNES African Group of Negotiators Experts Support CIS Climate Information Services CSA Climate-smart Agriculture CIAT International Centre for Tropical Agriculture IDA International Development Association WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 3 INTRODUCTION Background information Africa is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with its economies, food systems, and public services increasingly disrupted by climate variability and extremes. To respond effectively to this challenge, there is a growing need for climate-informed leadership—leaders who can anticipate risk, integrate science into policy, and promote inclusive, sustainable development. The African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), through its Leadership Course on Climate Governance, Diplomacy, and Negotiations, is building the next generation of African climate leaders. These leaders are expected to navigate complex climate policy landscapes, engage in global negotiations, and shape national and regional adaptation strategies. In line with this vision, a dedicated session was conducted to introduce Climate Information Services (CIS) to the course participants. CIS are essential tools that link climate science with real-world decision-making, offering tailored, timely, and accessible information to support early action, policy planning, and sectoral adaptation. The session responded to a critical gap: While many African leaders are aware of climate risks, they often lack the technical orientation and practical exposure to the tools that can help manage those risks proactively. CIS address this gap by empowering decision-makers with reliable data, forecasts, and advisories across sectors such as agriculture, water, health, disaster risk reduction, and energy. This introductory CIS session was framed around four key questions: 1. What are Climate Information Services? 2. How do they function, and what are their foundational pillars? 3. Why are they relevant for African development and governance? 4. How are they already being used in real-world contexts, especially in agriculture? The session also laid the groundwork for integrating CIS as a full module within the AGNES Leadership Curriculum as well as a standalone 5-week Advanced Course, reinforcing the program’s commitment to equipping African leaders with actionable knowledge and tools for climate-resilient decision-making. WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 4 Objectives The primary objective of the CIS training session was to introduce participants in the AGNES Leadership Course to the foundational concepts and practical relevance of Climate Information Services. The session aimed to build participants’ awareness, stimulate interest, and lay the groundwork for integrating CIS as a formal learning module in the course. The specific objectives for the CIS training session were as follows; 1. Introduce the concept of climate information services. 2. Present the four pillars of effective CIS 3. Explain the relevance and applicability of CIS 4. Highlight real-world applications of CIS in agriculture. WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 5 APPROACHES AND METHODS The training session on Climate Information Services (CIS) employed a mix of participatory, interactive, and evidence-based approaches to ensure that the concepts were clearly understood, contextually relevant, and applicable to the participants’ diverse leadership roles. The following approaches and methods were used: Structured Presentation A comprehensive PowerPoint presentation guided the session, beginning with an introduction to the atmosphere and time scales of climate change. It progressed through the conceptual foundation of CIS, the four pillars (generation, translation, transfer, and use), and concluded with real-world applications in African agriculture. The presentation was adapted to suit both technical and non-technical audiences, reinforcing clarity and engagement. Interactive Discussions Participants were encouraged to reflect on how CIS might relate to their sectors and decision-making environments. Questions were posed throughout the session to prompt dialogue, clarify terms, and highlight cross-sectoral linkages particularly between climate information and governance, planning, and policy formulation. During the question-and-answer session, materials, documents and website links were shared with participants to guide them to additional information. WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 6 KEY RESULTS AND FINDINGS The session was attended by 100 participants from a diverse mix of countries across Africa and beyond, including representatives from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector. These individuals work across a wide range of sectors such as agriculture, environment, disaster risk reduction, public health, finance, and infrastructure highlighting the cross-cutting relevance of CIS in climate governance and development planning. The training session on Climate Information Services (CIS) yielded several important results, reflecting both strong participant engagement and a clear appetite for deeper learning. 1. Improved Conceptual Understanding: Through the breakdown of weather, climate, climate variability, and climate change, and the presentation of the four CIS pillars (generation, translation, transfer, and use), participants gained a clearer understanding of how CIS operates as a system and not just a data product. The conceptual clarity laid a strong foundation for deeper engagement with the topic in future sessions. 2. High Engagement and Positive Reception: Participants responded actively during discussions and polls, demonstrating strong interest in the topic. Many participants noted that the training offered new insights into the role of CIS in policy and decision-making, especially in the face of increasing climate variability and uncertainty. The session was widely described as timely, relevant, and empowering. 3. Need for Broader Survey Participation: While a baseline survey was introduced during the session to assess participants’ CIS familiarity and training needs, not all attendees were able to complete it. A request was made for the AGNES team to share the survey link post-session to ensure a more comprehensive data set for guiding the development of the proposed CIS module. WORKSHOP REPORT Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusion The introduction of Climate Information Services (CIS) within the AGNES Leadership Course on Climate Governance, Diplomacy, and Negotiations proved to be both timely and highly relevant. The session succeeded in building foundational understanding among a diverse group of African and international participants, while also illustrating the real-world value of CIS in decision-making across sectors. The high level of engagement and cross-sectoral interest demonstrated that CIS is not only a technical topic, but a leadership and policy priority for climate-resilient development. Participants recognized that the ability to access, interpret, and act on climate information is a critical skill for 21st-century climate leaders. The discussion highlighted a clear appetite for deeper learning, practical case studies, and sector-specific applications of CIS. Importantly, the session reaffirmed that integrating CIS into the leadership curriculum will fill a critical knowledge and capacity gap—strengthening the ability of current and future climate leaders to anticipate risk, inform policy, and support evidence-based adaptation planning.. Recommendations Based on the outcomes of the session, the following recommendations are proposed: 1. Integrate CIS as a Dedicated Module: Formalize the inclusion of Climate Information Services as a full module within the AGNES Leadership Course, complete with sectoral applications, case studies, and tool demonstrations. 2. Use Real-World Case Studies and Interactive Tools: Incorporate African- based CIS examples (e.g., seasonal forecasts, index-based insurance, agro- advisories). 3. Follow Up on Survey Participation: Circulate the baseline survey to all course participants and encourage completion to capture more detailed input for future module design and impact tracking.