A transformative programme, which focuses on Earth Observation (EO) systems, seeks to respond to the global need to manage the environment, mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure civil security, has been launched, anchored by the CSIR.
The CSIR, which anchors the MarCOSIO project, co-hosted a regional stakeholder Earth Observation workshop at the CSIR International Convention Centre last month.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which anchors the Africa Marine and Coastal Operations for Southern Africa (MarCOSIO) project, co-hosted the regional stakeholder workshop last month at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, South Africa. MarCOSIO, a consortium under the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa programme, is comprised of southern and eastern African countries with partners drawn from the countries’ institutions, including the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute and Cordio East Africa, among others.
Under the theme, “From data to impact: Earth Observation and Space Technology Solutions as a Catalyst for Enhancing Africa’s Policy and Economic Transformation,” the workshop was co-hosted by the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) and attended by regional partners and stakeholders from southern Africa. GMES and Africa, which is in its second implementation phase and co-funded by the African Union Commission and the European Commission.
CSIR e-Government impact area manager, Matthew Chetty, said: “The CSIR views this workshop as a pivotal opportunity to ensure that Africa’s Earth Observation community is not only responsive to global environmental and security challenges but is also driving economic growth and resilience across the continent”.
The Spatial Information Systems research group leader, Sives Govender, says, “The workshop serves to highlight the achievements within the Wetlands management and the oceans and coastal management domain for the region. One of the key priorities of GMES and Africa is ‘cross-fertilisation’, which ensures the consortia work together on diverse thematic domains in the Southern African region. The workshop addresses key regional priorities while highlighting the achievements and impacts made to date to support citizens’ livelihoods.”
The two-day event highlighted the successes of GMES in the southern African region and provided an opportunity for participants to share best practices and tangible experiences and gain knowledge.
The key to GMES and Africa is the cross-fertilisation of information and expertise regarding innovative Earth Observation (EO) technologies developed under the programme. Alignment with the region’s sustainable development strategies was showcased through the applications developed.
Participants of the workshop included member countries’ policymakers, representatives from the Southern African Development Community countries, public and private sector stakeholders, technical implementers, basin Commissions which are regional organisations established by multiple countries to manage shared water resources with a specific river basin or lake basin, researchers and any other stakeholder whose activities are related to coastal areas, rivers and their ecosystems.
SASSCAL executive director; Professor Irja Nelago Indongo, accentuated the significance of the regional workshop, which provides an opportunity for stakeholders to highlight the successes of GMES in the Southern African region, said: “We remain committed to work with you to expand our footprint and to engage new members to strengthen our capacity, as climate change continues to impede our national and regional efforts for sustainability”, she said.
The CSIR has focused on the Marine and Coastal thematic priority area, including the monitoring of oceanography variables, coastal area monitoring, ship traffic and pollution monitoring and marine weather forecast, while SASSCAL, under the Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Service for Transboundary Basins in Southern Africa (WEMAST) II, has focused on inland wetlands in the region, targeting the River basins of the Cuvelai, the Okavango, the Zambezi and the Limpopo.
GMES and Africa aims to promote the development of local capabilities, institutional capacity and access to technical resources to develop EO-based services for sustainable development in Africa.
