In-Situ data: Discover the SEACRIFOG Collaborative Inventory Tool

The SEACRIFOG Collaborative Inventory Tool (SCIT) is a publicly accessible web app that serves to systematically capture and share information on the state of environmental observation across the African continent and the surrounding oceans.


The tool aims at providing a continental overview of observation infrastructures, data products and methodological protocols relevant to the in situ and remote observation of climate-relevant variables. This serves researchers, policymakers and funding institutions alike to identify observation needs and make informed decisions about the design of future research infrastructures.

Figure 1: Screenshot of the SCIT with the list of essential variables, related data products and methodological protocols

The SCIT was developed in line with the H2020-funded SEACRIFOG Project, which aims to design a continental network of research infrastructures for the observation of climate change and other environmental changes linked to greenhouse gas emissions and food security across the African continent and the surrounding oceans. Click here for further reading on the SEACRIFOG project and its outcomes to date.The SCIT covers four main interlinked fields:

• Essential Variables: This menu item contains detailed information on the environmental variables identified to be essential in the context of SEACRIFOG and lists all related data products and measurement protocols.
• Observation Infrastructure: This menu item contains detailed information on relevant existing and planned observation networks and infrastructure relevant to SEACRIFOG.
• Data Products: This menu item contains metadata on existing data products related to the essential variables considered under SEACRIFOG.
• Protocols: This menu item contains metadata on existing protocols for the measurement of the essential variables considered under SEACRIFOG.

Figure 2: Current content of the SCIT in terms of the number of data products and methodological protocols linked to each essential environmental variable.

The tool is designed to facilitate an ongoing and continuous collaborative effort by interested researchers to create an inventory of observation infrastructures, data products and methodological protocols which is as exhaustive as possible. Contributions (e.g. on observation networks and sites, data products and protocols), feedback and suggestions by interested parties are very much welcome (please contact the system admin for any contributions and queries).

The SCIT is hosted by the Southern African Science Service Center for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) and was developed with input from the entire SEACRIFOG Project Consortium.