Trans-African Hydro-Meteorological Observatory (TAHMO)

Ghana | Early Warning System, Humanitarian, Mapping and weather alerts

The company

TAHMO’s rainfall product combines ground data, commercial microwave links (CML) and satellite data for accurate and timely information, which forms the basis for flood early warning systems (FEWS).

Problem

Urban flooding in Ghana, particularly in the Aboabo community of Kumasi, has become increasingly devastating due to climate change, rapid population growth and urbanisation, leading to significant property damage and loss of life. Early warning systems (EWS) for these vulnerable areas are often impractical due to the high costs of specialised equipment, the complexity of disseminating information and the substantial resources needed for maintenance.

GSMA project

In November 2023, TAHMO received a GSMA grant to develop affordable and sustainable FEWS by conducting co-creation workshops, repurposing mobile technology for rainfall monitoring via CML and installing low-cost hydro-meteorological sensors. Various data sets are integrated in these systems, and TAHMO employs a citizen science approach for data collection through smartphone videos. It has developed a business model to ensure the FEWS continues to operate after the grant period.

Traction

As of March 2025, the flood early warning system repurposing existing mobile technology (FEWS-REMT) has been successfully designed and tested, disseminating early warning messages and IVR calls of imminent flooding to more than 500 residents of Aboabo region and reaching more than 2,000 indirect users.