NMA Data Policy

The National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia is dedicated to providing quality meteorological services to the users community. Our products consist of rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind, sunshine hours, hail, thunderstorm, air pressure, cloud coverage, cloud type, different bulletins, forecasts and climatological maps, among others. In fact, meteorological information should not be kept confidential. They should be provided to whomever in need of them. However, according to the Agency's data policy users should not have the right to give meteorological data to a third party.

Meteorological services delivery procedures in NMA

•  All routine and daily weather forecasts may be requested through telephone. However, if such requests are continuous the Agency may require the user to make a formal written application.
•  Without prejudices to the provision of No. 2.1, all requests for meteorological data shall be submitted to the Data Management and Dissemination Department (DMDD) in written application.
•  All requests are evaluated by DMDD. If the application refers to more than five years of daily data, the department has the right to consult top management for approval. All other requests are investigated and approved by DMDD. The department may supplements some consultation service if there need be.
•  After a through analysis, the DMDD will pass the request to Data Users Team. The Team leader will take a record of the application in the computer and forward it to team members. The team leader may supplement some consultation if necessary. The users have the right to get the data either in a hard or soft copy. But the current database system of NMSA is not well organized. Bulks of data are not computerized. As a result, we provide data mainly in a hard copy.
•  The team members will make sure whether the requested data is found in electronic or manual format in conjunction with other teams and departments. If the requested data or information are ready to be delivered, they will request users to pay 80 Birr (eighty Birr) in advance. If the data are not kept in the way to be delivered to the users, the data should be prepared in appropriate format. Preparation of the data may take more than a month depending on the amount of dataset requested. Then the payment procedure will take place.
•  The users need to make the payment at Budget and Finance Service of the Agency (Bole). If they do so, manual data will be photocopied and prepared for users and electronic data will be prepared in diskettes.
•  Users can collect the data after making complete payment.

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Internet data delivery system in NMA

•  Users need to e-mail an application to the Agency at the address: nmsa@ethionet.et.
•  Higher officials will investigate the application and send to Data Management and Dissemination (DMDD). Then DMDD will pass the application to Data Users Team (DUT). DUT make a note of the application and send it to team members .
•  The team members will make sure whether the requested data is found in electronic format or not in conjunction with other teams and departments.
•  If the requested data is not available in the computer, it will be prepared in collaboration with other teams within the DMDD.
•  Then users will be asked to transfer the cost of the requested data to NMA's Bank account in National Bank of Ethiopia. Its account number is GOV 0160 10 10 22 900 .
•  When they make the required payment they will get the data. But this procedure may take more than a month due to bank transfer delay.

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Who do have the right to collect meteorological data freely?

•  According to proclamation NO. 201/83 article 7/12, the Agency has the power and duties to collect fees and charges for services it renders after approval by appropriate government office. However, Organizations and activities that are to be provided with service free of charge are enumerated hereunder.
•  Policy Makers Organs

•  Prime Minister Office
•  Councils of Central and Regional Governments
•  Council of ministers
•  Head Offices of Ministry of Water Resources
•  Ministry of Defense
•  Ministry of Finance and Economic Development

•  Research activities :

•  Research and studies projects that are to be carried in collaboration with the Agency
•  Research projects that are directly beneficial to the Agency.
•  Research activities not financed by the government, local, or international donor organizations; and those not intended for commercial purposes.

•  Natural disaster prevention and early warning systems
•  Meteorological data that is required for early warning and prevention of natural disaster.
•  Public safety
•  Meteorological information that provides early warning on hazardous weather conditions, advice and other educational programmes to be disseminated through the mass media.
•  International exchange of meteorological data
•  In accordance with international agreements and regulations of World Meteorological Organization unrestricted and non-discriminatory exchange of meteorological data are to be rendered to all member of World Meteorological Organization.
•  Organization having meteorological data exchange agreement with the Agency.

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Responsibilities of Customers

•  Provisions of meteorological data are the sole responsibility of National Meteorological Agency under the proclamation establishing the Agency, No. 201/81. Any person who contravenes this provision by disseminating meteorological data shall be held responsible by law and the Agency has the right, in accordance with the powers and responsibilities vested upon it by law, to withhold any or all-meteorological information.
•  On using the Agency's data in publications or otherwise should always acknowledge the Agency as source.
•  The agency may not be obliged to entertain requests made for meteorological data from any meteorological station since the date of establishment of any particular station.
•  The users must submit copy of their research papers or output, when they use meteorological data, to the Agency.

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