In many developing countries, giventheir poor economic circumstances, weather observingnetworks are usually installed using funds frominternational development and aid agencies to enhance thecapability of local national hydro-meteorological services(NHMS) and to accomplish humanitarian objectives. This paperdiscusses non-traditional approaches for establishingsustainable weather observing networks in developingcountries, beginning with a brief overview of the importanceof data from such networks to a NHMS. Some of the challengesinherent in establishing and maintaining weather and climateobserving networks in developing countries are described.This is followed by a discussion of how these challenges maybe addressed through the development of weather observingnetworks based on facilities and capabilities of the localcellular telephone network, such as the open lattice towerpictured in the background of the cover photograph. Thepaper reviews and summarizes currently available scientific,technical, and commercial literature regarding use of cellphone towers as observing sites. It provides a fewillustrative examples of non-traditional technologieswell-suited to making cell-tower based observations. Thepaper concludes with recommendations concerning how one maywork with NHMSs in developing countries to improve thesustainability of their observing networks. Theserecommendations are focused on partnerships, in the sense oftrue business relationships, involving the NHMSs with, forexample, local telephone companies, other in-countryutilities, and commercial and private sector instrumentmanufacturers and data services. For more publications onIFC Sustainability please visit www.ifc.org/sustainabilitypublications.
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