African Research Fellowships in ESA’s EO AFRICA Initiative


The African Research Fellowship Programme under ESA’s Earth Observation for African Framework for Research, Innovation, Communities, and Applications Initiative (EO AFRICA) continues to advance Earth Observation (EO) and space technology applications across Africa. Through the programme, research fellows are equipped to address Africa’s critical food security and water management challenges by developing innovative, data-driven solutions tailored to the continent’s needs. This initiative, comprising over 4,000 professionals and over 100 African partner organisations, is cultivating a new generation of EO science and technology leaders.
Since its inception in 2022, ESA’s annual call has attracted a growing number of applicants for its limited fellowship positions. The 2024/2025 call received 180 applications from 32 African nations, underscoring high interest and engagement. The selection process is underway to appoint the latest cohort of fellows who will contribute to developing sustainable solutions for the continent.
Profiles of Current African Research Fellows at ESA-ESRIN
- Odunayo David Adeniyi (Nigeria): Adeniyi’s research focuses on high-resolution soil moisture mapping in West Africa to address agricultural challenges. He uses machine learning and geostatistics within ESA’s EO Africa R&D Facility to refine soil moisture data to enhance agricultural water management.
- Gebeyehu Abebe Zeleke (Ethiopia): Zeleke has developed a model to estimate maise yield in Ethiopia by integrating remote sensing data with the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF). This improves yield accuracy to aid rain-fed maise farming regions in Ethiopia.
- Beatrice Asenso Barnieh (Ghana): Barnieh’s research addresses water quality in Ghana through EO and cloud computing. Her empirical model combines in-situ water parameters with EO data to support large-scale water management, contributing to SDG 6.
- Abdelhakim Amazirh (Morocco): Specialising in hydrometeorology, Amazirh has developed a wheat yield forecasting model for Morocco, providing timely predictions for agricultural adaptation amidst drought conditions.
Additionally, two South African National Space Agency (SANSA) fellows—Thando Oliphant and Zintle Mbulawa—are conducting EO research projects on renewable energy site selection and crop health monitoring, respectively.
EO AFRICA R&D Facility: Capacity-Building and Innovation Support
Since 2021, the EO AFRICA R&D Facility has engaged African authorities, institutions, and the private sector to meet the continent’s research and operational EO needs. The ESA-funded facility offers capacity-building programsme, including webinars, MOOCs, and on-site training, fostering a strong EO community through 30+ collaborative projects guided by an African advisory board. The facility’s Innovation Lab also provides researchers with cloud-based resources, open-source algorithms, and customisable tools for EO application development, empowering African-led teams to develop region-specific training materials and engage in collaborative R&D projects.
This article was originally published on the European Space Agency’s website on November 13, 2024. Read the original article here
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