We have focused on developing capacity to deliver climate services and to generate climate knowledge in a sustained manner.

We have assisted with infrastructure development for the application of climate services in a few catalytic ways. Chief among them is the development of a climate research group, the quarterly communication of developments in the climate field and the training of post-graduate students. In addition, the following have been contributions towards developing climate services.

• Lareef Zubair served as a Visiting Scientist attached to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Economic Reform in January 2002. A concept note on how climate predictions could be developed was presented to the Ministry.

• Software and Literature were provided to the Department of Meteorology.

• Support was provided to the National Steering Committee on Seasonal Climate Prediction. This includes IRI predictions tailored to Sri Lanka.

• Literature on seasonal climate prediction and its application is being distributed to various libraries and research groups that are conducting relevant research.

• A campaign against a plan to handover a large part of the Colombo Meteorological Observatory to a Foreign High Commission was supported.

• Support for the establishment of a national steering committee on seasonal climate predictions and applications.