The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is the Government department with the mandate to carry out meteorological functions. This department also has the mandate for hydrological, water quality and rural water supply functions. The current parent office of DWR is the Department of State for Fisheries and Water Resources (established in year 2005). Prior to the setting up of the latter (ministry), DWR was under the Department of State for Fisheries, Natural Resources and the Environment (DOSFNRE).

The department derives its funding from allocations by the Central Government, bi-lateral and multi-lateral development partners. With an agrarian-based economy, the Gambia is highly exposed to drought and its negative impacts, and this has lead to it being one of the founding members of the Interstate Committee for the Control of Drought in the Sahel (CILSS in French). The Gambia is a member of both ACMAD and WMO and operates a training school (Department of Water Resources Training School) for WMO Class IV technicians.

The Division of Meteorology currently operates a network of 15 synoptic stations (two 24-hour stations and 13 daytime stations) with the following staff strength:

• three agrometorologists (WMO Class I)
• one meteorologist (WMO Class I)
• five meteorological Officers (WMO Class II) (one on sick leave; one on secondment as UNV to Liberia; one on study leave in Nairobi)
• 11 meteorological technicians (WMO Class III)
• 31 meteorological technicians (WMO Class IV)
• 12 auxiliary staff