The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), funded large-scale research-focused and capacity building Climate Service Centre. It is designed to help tackle the climate change challenge by enhancing the resilience of human and environmental systems to climate change and increased variability. This is made possible through the strengthening of the research infrastructure and capacity in West Africa related to Climate Change and by pooling the expertise of eleven West African countries. There are 11 contributing West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Cabo Verde and Senegal).

WASCAL consists of three components: capacity building, research and climate and environmental services provision.  It is a leading academic and trans-disciplinary organization building graduate-level scientific capacity. The Competence Centre, carries out research and provides science-based advice to policymakers and stakeholders on climate change impacts, mitigation, and adaptation measures. Its vision is to be the leading institution in the provision of climate and environmental services in and for West Africa.

The mission is to provide information and knowledge at the local, national, and regional levels to its West African member countries experts to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change and devise integrated mid and long-term options to build up resilient and productive socio-ecological landscapes. We do this through capacity building, research, climate and environmental services provision.