Senegal has developed an inclusive early-warning approach that delivers short voice messages in local languages to farmers and artisanal fishers exposed to climate-related hazards. Led by the National Agency of Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM), in cooperation with the communication provider Jokalante and community organisations, the initiative addresses literacy and language barriers that previously limited the accessibility of weather warnings. Community surveys identify information needs, while farmer and fisher organisations contribute to validating and adapting the communication service. Messages are disseminated through mobile phones and local networks, helping recipients make timely decisions about fishing activities and agricultural operations. UNDRR reports more than 100,000 voice messages distributed in 2018 and more than 200,000 in 2022, demonstrating the operational scale of the approach.
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Voice-based Early Warning for Farmers and Fishers
General Information
ISIG
The initiative integrates meteorological forecasting with accessible, community-oriented communication to strengthen disaster preparedness among Senegalese farmers and artisanal fishing communities. ANACIM provides forecasts and climate information, while Jokalante supports the identification of user needs, the adaptation of messages and their distribution through voice calls. Warnings are recorded in local languages and delivered in short, understandable formats describing the hazard, its location and intensity. Farmer and fisher organisations participate in the validation and local dissemination of the information, supported by community leaders and radio networks. This arrangement enables people with limited literacy to receive actionable weather information and strengthens the relationship between technical forecasting services and exposed communities.
Senegal experiences strong winds, heavy rainfall, heatwaves and dust-related weather hazards, with significant implications for coastal fishing communities and rain-fed agricultural livelihoods. Conventional warning dissemination relied heavily on radio, television and written SMS messages, creating accessibility barriers for people unable to read French or interpret technical forecasts. These barriers particularly affected rural populations and women with limited formal education.
Following consultations with communities and decision-makers, ANACIM collaborated with Jokalante to develop a voice-based communication service adapted to local languages and information needs. USAID supported the pilot phase, while community organisations and local networks facilitated the adaptation and dissemination of warnings. The initiative became an example of inclusive early-warning communication documented by UNDRR.
Hazard Type
Geographical Scope - Nuts
Population Size
Population Density
Needs Addressed
The initiative addresses the limited accessibility and practical usefulness of conventional weather warnings for populations exposed to climate-related hazards in Senegal. SMS alerts written in French and technical meteorological information can exclude people with low literacy or limited proficiency in the official language. For artisanal fishers, delayed or poorly understood warnings may result in dangerous decisions at sea. For farmers, insufficient information about rainfall and severe weather can undermine agricultural planning and expose livelihoods to avoidable losses.
The intervention responds to these problems through short, locally understandable voice warnings, consultation with users and cooperation with community-based intermediaries. It seeks to improve warning comprehension, dissemination and the capacity to take protective action.
The primary target groups are smallholder farmers, artisanal fishers and residents with limited literacy or difficulty understanding written meteorological information, particularly women facing educational or language barriers. Vulnerability is associated with exposure to hazardous weather, dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods and limited access to accessible forecasts. Local-language voice communication reduces dependence on written information and enables recipients to interpret warnings directly or through trusted community intermediaries.
The initiative operates through a public-private-community partnership. ANACIM retains responsibility for meteorological forecasting and issuing authoritative climate information. Jokalante provides communication technology, conducts community needs surveys and facilitates message delivery. The National Union of Community Radio supports complementary dissemination, while farmer and fisher organisations validate the accessibility and relevance of services. Community leaders relay warnings and contextualise their implications for local livelihoods. USAID contributed financial support during the pilot phase.
The case demonstrates an organised warning and preparedness mechanism linking meteorological information with community-level preventive action. ANACIM produces forecasts and warnings, while Jokalante translates them into short, accessible voice messages. These are distributed through mobile communication and complemented by local leaders and community radio.
The initiative relies on existing meteorological forecasting services, mobile telephone networks, voice-message distribution technology and community radio infrastructure. ANACIM supplies technical information, while Jokalante operates the communication service. Local organisations and designated community leaders extend its reach through established social networks.
The classification concerns the infrastructure supporting this specific early-warning service. It does not represent an assessment of Senegal's entire civil protection infrastructure.
Community engagement is intended to ensure that weather warnings are understandable, accessible, relevant and actionable for people whose livelihoods depend on climate-sensitive activities.
Consultation enables farmers and fishers to communicate their information needs and identify barriers associated with literacy, language and message delivery. Their organisations contribute to validating and adapting warning services. Community leaders support dissemination and interpretation, connecting institutional forecasts to decisions made by households and professional groups.
The documented engagement methods include community needs surveys conducted by Jokalante; consultations with users and decision-makers; validation and adaptation of warning services through farmer and fisher organisations; cooperation with agricultural extension services; and dissemination through designated community representatives and local radio networks.
These mechanisms connect user feedback with the design of accessible communication services and help contextualise the information for different livelihoods.
Farmers and fishers influence the design and implementation of the warning service through the identification of communication needs, feedback on existing information channels and participation in service validation. Their organisations contribute to assessing the relevance and usability of the warnings, while local leaders have operational responsibilities for disseminating information.
ANACIM retains responsibility for meteorological forecasts and warnings, and Jokalante manages the communication technology. The documented participation therefore demonstrates meaningful influence over service adaptation and dissemination, without establishing shared formal authority over meteorological warning decisions.
The initiative strengthens the ability of exposed communities to interpret meteorological warnings and incorporate climate information into everyday decisions. By delivering warnings in accessible local-language formats, it reduces dependence on written information and enables people with limited literacy to act upon forecasts.
Community leaders and producer organisations acquire practical roles in warning dissemination and communication with authorities. Repeated use of the service may reinforce confidence in forecasts, improve preparedness practices and strengthen local capacities for anticipatory action. Its long-term contribution to empowerment depends on sustained accessibility, trusted communication channels and opportunities for continued feedback.
Vulnerable Groups
Governance
Emergency Preparedness
Infrastructure Readiness
Engagement Level
Empowerment Level
Implementation
The initiative introduces an inclusive communication model combining authoritative meteorological information, locally adapted voice messages and community-based dissemination. Its main innovations concern accessibility, service design and institutional coordination.
Messages are recorded in local languages, last less than 30 seconds and communicate the hazard's nature, location and intensity. Community needs surveys inform their adaptation, while farmer and fisher organisations contribute to validation. A public-private partnership connects national forecasting capacity with specialised communication technology, supported by existing community networks. The approach is technically transferable and can complement conventional SMS, radio and television warnings.
French, Senegalese local languages, including Wolof
National Agency of Civil Aviation and Meteorology (ANACIM), in partnership with Jokalante
ANACIM is Senegal's national authority responsible for meteorological information and forecasting. Its involvement provides the institutional and technical basis for the warning service. Jokalante contributes specialised expertise in mobile communication and the adaptation of information to users' linguistic and literacy needs.
The partnership has demonstrated operational experience through repeated warning dissemination and expansion of service coverage. UNDRR documents more than 100,000 voice messages in 2018 and over 200,000 in 2022.
- ANACIM — meteorological forecasting and climate information
- Jokalante — user surveys, communication technology and voice-message delivery
- National Union of Community Radio — complementary broadcasting
- Farmer and fisher organisations — service validation, adaptation and uptake
- Community and local leaders — dissemination and preparedness communication
- Agricultural extension services — support to information transfer and use
- USAID — pilot-phase financial support
- Identify communication barriers. Assess difficulties associated with written warnings, literacy, language and access to meteorological information, using consultations with communities and decision-makers.
- Establish the institutional partnership. Connect ANACIM's forecasting functions with Jokalante's communication services and agree on responsibilities for warning production and delivery.
- Assess user information needs. Conduct community surveys to identify relevant information requirements and appropriate dissemination mechanisms.
- Develop accessible messages. Convert meteorological information into short voice recordings in local languages, describing the hazard, location and intensity.
- Validate and disseminate. Involve producer organisations in validating the service and distribute warnings through mobile calls, community representatives and complementary radio channels.
- Support anticipatory decisions. Enable fishers and farmers to use the warnings when planning fishing activities, sowing and other climate-sensitive operations.
Implementation requires meteorological forecasting capacity; technical personnel capable of interpreting and communicating warnings; voice-recording and automated telephone dissemination services; access to mobile networks; and arrangements for maintaining user contact lists and reaching designated community leaders.
Institutional resources include agreements between forecasting authorities, communication providers, community organisations and radio networks. Financial resources are needed for system operation, telecommunications, message adaptation, maintenance and coverage expansion. The pilot received USAID support, and subsequent work investigated alternative business models for sustaining climate-information services.
2016–2017: Development of meteorological messaging and introduction of voice communication to address literacy barriers
2018: Over 100,000 voice messages distributed
2019: CGIAR documentation of broader climate-information services reaching approximately 500,000 beneficiaries through multiple channels
2022: More than 200,000 voice messages distributed, reflecting an expansion of voice-warning dissemination
Experience of the Implementing Organisation in DRM
Target Audience
Resources Required
Timeframe & Phases
Participation Results
The Senegalese experience demonstrates that effective early warnings depend on the accessibility and usability of information, alongside forecasting capacity. Local-language voice messages can overcome barriers created by written communication and support preparedness among users with limited literacy.
Community consultation improves the adaptation of warning services to the decisions people need to make. Local organisations and trusted intermediaries also strengthen dissemination and uptake.
The initiative illustrates the value of cooperation between meteorological authorities, specialised communication providers and community organisations. Its expansion shows the feasibility of delivering accessible warnings at substantial scale, while the financing evidence highlights the importance of establishing sustainable operational arrangements.
The main implementation challenge was the limited accessibility of conventional weather-warning information among users with low literacy and different linguistic backgrounds. The partnership addressed this through short voice messages in local languages.
A further challenge involved translating technical forecasts into understandable and relevant information. Community needs surveys, service validation and the involvement of producer organisations helped adapt communication to local conditions.
Geographical coverage and long-term financing also represent implementation challenges. Mobile communication and community networks facilitated expansion, while CGIAR documented the development and testing of alternative business models for climate-information services.
The communication service addresses multiple weather-related hazards, including strong winds and extreme rainfall. Its risk-management value derives from connecting forecasting information with timely communication and protective behaviour.
The principal implementation risks include exclusion caused by literacy or language barriers, incomplete telephone coverage, difficulties maintaining up-to-date contact networks and insufficient resources for continuing dissemination. Documented responses include local-language voice communication, collaboration with community intermediaries, complementary radio channels and the exploration of sustainable service-financing models.
These elements describe operational risk-reduction measures. They should not be interpreted as a formally documented comprehensive risk-management plan.
Risk & Mitigation Plan
Scalability and Sustainability
The service's sustainability depends on continued cooperation between ANACIM, communication providers, producer organisations and local dissemination networks. Its integration with institutional meteorological forecasting provides a technical foundation, while community participation helps maintain relevance and uptake.
Financial sustainability remains a critical consideration. CGIAR documented the development of four potential business models for climate-information services, with USAID subsequently supporting the testing and implementation of two. These efforts indicate an explicit attempt to move beyond initial donor-supported delivery. More recent analysis identifies recurring communication costs and the availability of sustained financing as continuing concerns for locally adapted warning systems.
The model can be transferred to contexts where climate-exposed communities experience difficulties accessing or understanding conventional early warnings. Replication requires a reliable forecasting institution, a communication partner capable of delivering accessible messages, and trusted local organisations able to identify user needs and support dissemination.
Messages can be adapted to local languages, hazards, livelihoods and communication infrastructure. The approach is particularly relevant for rural and coastal communities with uneven literacy levels, and can complement existing radio, mobile and institutional warning arrangements. Sustained financing and continuous user feedback are important for maintaining service quality at larger scales.
The technological component consists primarily of mobile voice-message services integrated with institutional meteorological forecasting. Warnings are recorded in local languages and transmitted through telephone calls to designated recipients.
The innovation lies in adapting an established communication technology to the characteristics of vulnerable users and combining it with community-informed service delivery. Radio broadcasting provides an additional communication channel. The available documentation does not establish the use of artificial intelligence, autonomous decision-making or advanced predictive analytics within the voice-delivery service.
Direct implementation costs concern the development or configuration of voice-message distribution services, telecommunications arrangements, message-recording capabilities, technical integration with meteorological information providers and the initial identification of recipients and community dissemination partners.
Recurring operational requirements include telecommunications charges for voice-message distribution, maintenance of recipient databases, technical system support, preparation and recording of warnings, coordination with ANACIM and community organisations, and periodic adaptation of messages to user needs.