Two technical experts from WMO/RIC Tsukuba provided supervision during the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) third country training program at the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) from 24 September to 5 October 2018. A total of 12 trainees from 10 WMO Members in Oceania (Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Fiji) attended the program as part of the JICA Project for Reinforcing Meteorological Training Function of FMS.
FMS technical staff who had taken the training course at RIC Tsukuba gave overviews of surface observation, observation instruments and related calibration, and provided practical training on inspection and calibration of thermometers, barometers and hygrometers. The trainees inspected and calibrated their own traveling standard instruments and operational instruments against FMS standard instruments during the course, and FMS issued calibration certificates as an outcome of the training. The instruction helped to enhance understanding of the importance of regular instrument calibration and inspection to support quality-assured observation with international traceability. The RIC Tsukuba visitors assisted the FMS instructors with the training.
The experts from RIC Tsukuba have also followed up with FMS activities toward ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. FMS continues to improve with strong focus on observation and calibration in the South Pacific region, and RIC Tsukuba provides ongoing collaboration in this work.
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| Group photo at the FMS entrance | Hygrometer calibration |
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| Barometer calibration | Inspection of an automatic weather station (AWS) in field work |
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