Insights from Day 3 of the AfriGEO Symposium and Day 2 of the RIC 2024

On the third day of the AfriGEO Symposium, which coincided with the second day of the 2024 RCMRD International Conference (RIC), discussions intensified on leveraging Earth Observation (EO) data and solutions to drive sustainable development across various African sectors. 

The day began with a keynote address and plenary session titled “Our Home: Global to National Understanding,” moderated by Victor Esendi from Conservation International. Dr Doreen Agaba, representing Uganda’s Science, Technology, and Innovation sector, delivered the keynote presentation, highlighting the crucial role of EO data in supporting sustainable development across the African continent. Her address set the tone for the day’s focus on the practical applications of EO in addressing critical developmental challenges.

Click here to read excerpts from previous days of the AfriGEO Symposium and RCMRD International Conference 2024.

Following Dr Agaba’s keynote, the plenary session featured contributions from key experts in the field:

1. Ms Marie Makuate from GEOSPATIAL GIRLS AND KIDS, Cameroon, presented the importance of geospatial education and empowerment among young girls and children, particularly in leveraging EO technologies for societal benefit.
2. Priscilla Niyokwirindwa from the University of Rwanda-CGIS discussed integrating EO data in academic research and its impact on policy formulation and implementation.
3. Dr Judith Atukunda from the International Land Coalition explored the intersection of land rights, EO data, and sustainable land management practices in Africa.
4. Dr Paula Kahumbu from Wildlife Direct, Kenya, provided insights into the role of EO in wildlife conservation and the protection of biodiversity in the region.

These presentations were followed by parallel thematic sessions focusing on “Land Administration and Management“, where experts discussed the application of EO in addressing land administration challenges and improving land management practices. This session was moderated by Joseph Murage, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at RCMRD, and featured the following presentations:

• Chinenye Mezie Nwafor from Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, Nigeria, presented on “Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change on Agricultural Lands using Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) in Nigeria,” exploring how EO tools can be used to monitor and mitigate the impacts of climate change on agriculture.
• Kananelo Bookholane discussed the development of water resources management plans in Lesotho, focusing on enhanced management, protection, and sustainable utilisation of water resources through EO-based strategies.
• Iradukunda Valentine from the Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management, Addis Ababa University, presented the “Impacts of Land Use Land Cover Change on Water Balance Components,” using the Gobele watershed in the Wabe Shebelle Basin, Ethiopia, as a case study to illustrate the effects of land cover changes on water resources.
• Kelvin Muli from the Conservation Alliance of Kenya Land Management presented a case study on the “Preservation of Knowledge Systems through Integration of Indigenous Knowledge System,” focusing on the Ogiek community in Mau Forest, Kenya, and how indigenous knowledge can complement EO data for sustainable land management.   
• Dimitrios and Douglas Rono from the World Resources Institute (WRI) discussed “Land Cover for Africa, Land Administration, Sustainable Urban Development, and Energy Access Explorer,” highlighting using EO data to support urban development and improve access to energy in Africa.

The day’s proceedings also featured a MEXT-SX Seminar moderated by Dr Kohei from PASCO. The seminar focused on applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in feature extraction from Earth Observation (EO) data. It explored advanced methodologies to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of EO data analysis, with a strong emphasis on AI-driven solutions.

The session commenced with opening remarks by Mrs Hamada, representing the Embassy of Japan in Kenya. She highlighted the ongoing partnership between Japan and African nations in advancing space technology and EO capabilities. Sota Hirayama, a representative from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), followed with an address that underscored JAXA’s commitment to supporting global EO initiatives. He emphasised the agency’s role in providing critical satellite data and fostering international collaborations to address global challenges through space technology.

Hida Shirashishi from the NDDT Japan presented the transformative impact of space technology, particularly the increasing affordability of satellite launches, the development of better satellite constellations, and the integration of AI and cloud computing. Thus, he discussed how these advancements democratise access to space and enable a wider array of stakeholders to leverage EO data for various applications.

Yusuke Adachi delivered an insightful presentation on utilising multi-source satellite data for disaster monitoring. Similarly, he focused on using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical imagery to rapidly extract crucial information during disasters, facilitating informed decision-making and timely response.

Dr Yamamoto from PASCO Corporation concluded the seminar with a detailed account of the company’s data models and solutions. He provided several use cases demonstrating PASCO’s contributions to thematic applications such as agriculture, disaster preparedness and management, and urban planning. Dr Yamamoto also demonstrated how PASCO is actively applying its enhanced data processing capabilities across various sectors to improve accuracy, efficiency, and the overall utility of EO data in addressing real-world challenges.

The third day of the AfriGEO Symposium and the second day of the RCMRD International Conference 2024 concluded with comprehensive discussions on the importance of EO data, in-situ data, policy linkages, and decision-makers adopting EO-based solutions. Furthermore, these discussions underscored the need to effectively implement EO strategies to accelerate social and economic growth across Africa, emphasising the continent’s commitment to leveraging technological advancements for sustainable development.