Research and Partnerships in the South (LMI, IRN)

Mixed International Laboratories (LMI) are one of the main tools deployed by the IRD to catalyze the North-South partnership activity of French Joint Research Units. As part of a medium-long term deployment strategy (up to 10 years), LMIs offer a solid foundation for the reinforcement of research, training and societal transfer activities.

LMI partner institutions are willing to work together to build a critical mass of skills committed to converging scientific objectives. Each one of them must be able to take advantage of human, material and financial means mobilized over the long term and whose grouping presents a clear added value.

LMI coordinated by the IGE :

Nexus Climate-Water-Energy-Agriculture in West Africa and Climate Services
Country : Ivory Coast

Mobilizing today a little more than 8 FTE research of IGE, LMI NEXUS carries out research in Ivory Coast on the nexus water, climate, energy, agriculture. In collaboration with the UMR ESPACE-DEV, it aims to develop inter and transdisciplinarity within the framework of PSIP 1 " Aléas et Services Climatiques ". Through ambitious projects, this LMI aims to stimulate research partnerships with the academic and energy production sectors in Europe and Africa.

Partner contact : kobeatoka yahoo.fr
Contact IGE : arona.diedhiou ird.fr

Year of creation : 2019

Center for the Study of Water Resources and the Critical Zone
Country : Benin

This LMI is without a doubt the one that gathers the most "research" FTEs of IGE, 12 FTEs. It is a historical anchor of the laboratory for the study of the water cycle in interaction with climatic variability and anthropogenic forcing. IGE and OSUG carry the SNO AMMA Catch, in very close collaboration with the other UMRs (HSM, GET). This LMI contributes to the PSIPs "Adaptation to hazards and Climate Services" and "Georesources, Human Development and Environment-GEoDHE)". In 2021, this LMI aims to go beyond the Beninese framework to take on a regional scale through the setting up of multi-laboratory projects (AFD, Belmont Forum, etc.) and the GDRI ASAO (registered).

Contact IGE : sylvie.galle ird.fr

Year of creation : 2019

Asian Water Research Center - Low Elevation Coastal Zone in South of Vietnam, Analysis of water Resources and Evolutions
Country : Vietnam (Cambodia extension)

Mobilizing about 6 FTE "research" staff from IGE, LMI conducts interdisciplinary research on water and environment in South Vietnam. This work is part of the PSIP 1 "Coastal Vulnerability" and the PSIP "City". Strongly supported by Grenoble-INP, this LMI is creating synergies with members of G-Eau and LEGOS (UMRs that carry applications in DAM for the LMI). Our 5-year strategy aims a) to consolidate emerging actions, in particular on the theme of contaminants for which the IRD has just awarded a post-doc, and b) to explore methodologies adapted to the regional scale, in particular remote sensing (in situ/spatial hydrology), with the support of CNRS and CNES.

Partner contact : npdan hcmut.edu.vn
Contact IGE : marc.descloitres ird.fr

Year of creation : 2019

  • Water-Himal

    Sustainability of hydro-glaciological WATER resources in the HIMALaya under climate and glacier changes

Freshwater from the mountains is vital for the region’s economy and for sustaining the livelihoods of a fast-growing population. In such context, the main objective of this LMI is to assess the spatio-temporal variability of high-elevation precipitation in the Himalayas, with a focus on one region influenced by the Asian monsoon (the Everest region, Nepal), in order to better quantify the impacts of climate and glacier changes on water resources at regional scale. This IJL is the right platform to strengthen the proposed South-North partnership in the field of high elevation glacio-meteo-hydrology. By leverage effect, we expect this LMI to locally raise funds to address the objectives of this project and also to be able to offer a regional expertise in the neighbouring countries.

Contact partner : st.dibas yahoo.com
Contact IGE : patrick.wagnon ird.fr

Year of creation : 2022

LMI non ported by IGE :

  • DYCOFAC : Dynamics of continental ecosystems in Central Africa in the context of global changes.

Country : Cameroon

This LMI, co-piloted by Jean-Jacques Braun (GET) and Bonaventure Sonké (Univ. Yaoundé) welcomes several researchers at IGE, in particular Nathalie Philippon (CR, CNRS) whose carrying activity has increased with the start of the ANR DYVALOCCA project (Dynamics, variability and bioclimatic effects of low clouds on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa) which she co-pilots with her German partner Andreas Fink.

Partner contact : bonaventuresonke ens.cm
Contact IGE : nathalie.philippon univ-grenoble-alpes.fr

Year of creation : 2018

GDRI :

  • GDRI-ANDES Climate-Cryosphere-Hydrosphere (C2H)

The GDRI-ANDES Climate-Cryosphere-Hydrosphere (C2H), funded by IRD and led by Thomas Condom, aims to bring together scientists from different French and South American institutions whose research focuses on the study of the dynamics of the water cycle and associated environmental changes, in interactions with climate forcing and changes in surface states, along the Andes.
In South America, more than 80 million people are directly dependent on mountain water resources. However, the question of their future availability is still being debated and requires the coordination of research activities. The Andes extend from 10°N in Venezuela to 55°S in Patagonia. They encompass a variety of mountain climates ranging from very wet conditions near the Equator, on the eastern flank of the tropical Andes and in western Patagonia, to very dry conditions in the western part of the central Andes.

The cryosphere (snow/ice) is an essential component of these mountain regions for water resources. In addition, the impact of regional and global climate variability (ENSO, monsoon, global warming, etc.) and local conditions (orography, surface conditions) on precipitation patterns must be considered. Indeed, this spatio-temporal variability of precipitation, which is particularly marked in the Andean mountains, must be taken into account in order to understand the evolution of water flows within the hydro-systems. In particular, changes in glacial masses and seasonal snow cover play a major role in variations in surface and subsurface water flows in mountain catchments.

Although identified, the impact of climate change on the evolution of the different compartments of hydro-systems is still poorly understood due to the lack of observations and the difficulty of modelling all the processes. This will therefore be the subject of the GDRI-ANDES C2H.

To strengthen the scientific dynamics on these issues, we propose, within this GDRI, an unprecedented grouping of researchers, engineers, doctoral and post-doctoral students working in 21 French and South American structures (universities, national meteorological and hydrological services, research institutes). This GDRI is a necessary tool for the continuation and growth of the scientific and training activities that the IRD has initiated since the 1980s and 1990s on climatological, glaciological and hydrological issues. A strengthening of scientific collaborations with Colombia, Argentina and Chile is also proposed within this GDRI. In addition, it is part of the regional programme ANDEX (a sub-programme of GEWEX). This structuring mechanism will promote North/South and South/South collaborations through network actions and will strengthen the skills of all operational and research structures (training through research of young scientists).

Contact : Thomas Condom (thomas.condom ird.fr)

Jeunes équipes associées à l’IRD - JEAI

  • JEAI MEHAR-LADAKH

MEltwater production and impacts on HAzards and water Resources in Ladakh region, India under changing climate (MEHAR-Ladakh)

Ladakh region in the Indian Himalaya is one of most vulnerable regions to climate change of the whole High Mountain due to its large dependency on glacier and snow meltwater. The water sector is under pressure due to population growth, environmental degradation, surge in tourism influx and industrialization. Furthermore, glacier-related hazards such as Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) are a concern in this area but the linkage between climate-induced glacier shrinkage and GLOF occurrence is poorly understood. The proposed JEAI will focus on glacier evolution in Ladakh under climate change and the associated impacts on local water resources and glacier-related hazards, namely : (i) to understand the evolution of meltwater in the arid Ladakh region at present and for the coming decades, specifically by quantifying the meltwater production at different time and spatial scales ; this in turn will contribute to evaluating the conditions and potential for hazard triggering in this region and (2) to disseminate the results among local communities, provide training to local institutions and jointly develop adaptation and mitigation solutions.

Year of creation : 2024

Partner contact (IIT Indoore) : Mohd. F. Azam - farooqazam iiti.ac.in
Local correspondant (IRD/IGE) : Adina.Racoviteanu univ-grenoble-alpes.fr