A Cross-Regional Collaboration for Environmental Journalism: The GMES & Africa Initiative in West Africa
In a groundbreaking collaboration under the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa programme, two major consortia, the Marine and Coastal Areas Management in North and West Africa (MarCNoWA) and the Sustainable Wetland and Flood Management in West Africa (GDZHIAO), have joined forces to champion the cause of environmental journalism in West Africa. This initiative, driven by the African Union Commission's (AUC) cross-fertilization agenda, brought together experts and journalists in a unique convergence of knowledge and action.
The workshop, spearheaded by the Institute of Fisheries and Oceanographic Research of Benin (IRHOB) on January 4, 2024, in Cotonou, was pivotal in this collaborative effort. The event aimed at empowering female media professionals in Benin with the knowledge and skills for earth observation and sustainable development, focusing on the challenges facing marine and coastal ecosystems. About 30 women vested in media were trained.
IRHOB's Director General, Dr. Zacharie Sohou, the training aimed to enable women journalists to become ambassadors of the environment, producing media content that raises collective awareness about the importance of earth observation to achieve sustainable development.
The workshop featured presentations from various experts, including Dr. Christian Adjè and Dr. Georges Dégbe, who offered insights into the management of marine and coastal ecosystems and coastal erosion in Benin. Mrs. Thioro Niang from CSE-Senegal and President of the “Women in GMES” added further depth with her online presentation on "The Role and Place of Women in Earth Observation for Sustainable Development in Africa." Her contributions enriched the discourse, providing a broader, more comprehensive perspective on women in media.
The virtual participation of Dr. Kwame Adu Agyekum from the University of Ghana and Dr. Amadou Sall from the CSE was particularly noteworthy. As leaders of the MarCNoWA and GDZHIAO consortia, respectively, their involvement emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in tackling environmental issues.
The workshop concluded with the participants, now environmental journalism ambassadors, committing to prioritise earth observation in their media outputs (including radio broadcasts, print, and online articles) to influence behavioural change for a sustainable Benin and Africa. Notably, the workshop culminated in the establishment of the GMES & Africa Women's Media Network.
This initiative signifies a substantial step in environmental journalism in Benin and advocacy in West Africa. By bringing together different consortia under the AUC's cross-fertilization initiative, it demonstrates a strong regional commitment to sustainable environmental practices. It underlines the crucial role women in media play in addressing climate and environmental challenges. The GMES and Africa initiative, through its focus on capacity building and knowledge dissemination, is poised to make a notable impact on the region's approach to sustainable environmental practices. Thus, this workshop in Benin symbolises not just a local or national triumph, but a regional leap towards a more sustainable and environmentally aware West Africa.
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| Group picture |
The workshop, spearheaded by the Institute of Fisheries and Oceanographic Research of Benin (IRHOB) on January 4, 2024, in Cotonou, was pivotal in this collaborative effort. The event aimed at empowering female media professionals in Benin with the knowledge and skills for earth observation and sustainable development, focusing on the challenges facing marine and coastal ecosystems. About 30 women vested in media were trained.
IRHOB's Director General, Dr. Zacharie Sohou, the training aimed to enable women journalists to become ambassadors of the environment, producing media content that raises collective awareness about the importance of earth observation to achieve sustainable development.
The workshop featured presentations from various experts, including Dr. Christian Adjè and Dr. Georges Dégbe, who offered insights into the management of marine and coastal ecosystems and coastal erosion in Benin. Mrs. Thioro Niang from CSE-Senegal and President of the “Women in GMES” added further depth with her online presentation on "The Role and Place of Women in Earth Observation for Sustainable Development in Africa." Her contributions enriched the discourse, providing a broader, more comprehensive perspective on women in media.
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| Online Presentation and Participants |
The workshop concluded with the participants, now environmental journalism ambassadors, committing to prioritise earth observation in their media outputs (including radio broadcasts, print, and online articles) to influence behavioural change for a sustainable Benin and Africa. Notably, the workshop culminated in the establishment of the GMES & Africa Women's Media Network.
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| Workshop Participants seeking clarifications |
This initiative signifies a substantial step in environmental journalism in Benin and advocacy in West Africa. By bringing together different consortia under the AUC's cross-fertilization initiative, it demonstrates a strong regional commitment to sustainable environmental practices. It underlines the crucial role women in media play in addressing climate and environmental challenges. The GMES and Africa initiative, through its focus on capacity building and knowledge dissemination, is poised to make a notable impact on the region's approach to sustainable environmental practices. Thus, this workshop in Benin symbolises not just a local or national triumph, but a regional leap towards a more sustainable and environmentally aware West Africa.
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