The GMES and Africa established four national networks in West Africa

Key stakeholders in charge of the management of wetlands in Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry, and Burkina Faso join forces to support the implementation of the GMES and Africa in the management of wetlands in West Africa.

The GMES and Africa lead consortia, Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE), organized four national workshops in Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Conakry, and Burkina Faso in September 2019. The four national workshops formally established networks of community of experts in those countries.

Workshop participants in Guinea Conakry

At the level of each country involved in the GMES and Africa Wetlands for West Africa Project, two institutions have been chosen to develop products and services derived from earth observation data for the benefit of the users in the area of wetlands management. In order to implement sustainable wetland management policies in West Africa, capacity building activity is planned for those institutions. 

The established national networks in Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Guinea Conakry are composed of government institutions, academia, research institutions and NGOs that are mandated in the management of wetlands in their respective countries. The national networks will serve as a platform for collaboration, experience sharing, learn from best practices, development of knowledge and expertise in their areas of interest- wetlands management in West Africa. 

The Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) consortia is awarded the African Union GMES and Africa grant for implementing the Sustainable Management of Wetlands for the Strengthening of Food Security and Resilience of Ecosystems Project (GDZHAO) in West Africa for the duration of three years. The aim of GMES Africa Wetlands Service is to develop and promote a product portfolio and services based on the exploitation of Earth Observation data (in the fields of water, vegetation and soils) in order to improve knowledge on West African wetlands in a sustainable management perspective for food security and building the resilience of communities and ecosystems in West Africa. 

More information about the GDZHAO Project:  http://gdzhao.amazing-sn.com/

The GMES and Africa Programme is a joint African Union and European Union operational EO program, demonstrating how Earth Observation data from space serves as a decision support tool for users in managing land, marine and environmental resources in Africa.