Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 1

Joint Research Centre (JRC)

The European Commission’s Research-Based Policy Support Organisation

The geospatial domain: new ways of addressing the Millennium Development Goals

Dr. Alan Belward

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 2Boston220,000,000 t/yr MSG 6th March 2004 (Source copyright EUMETSAT)

Sahara dust figures (Prof Andrew Goudie, Oxford)

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 3

Eradicating poverty

AvoidingConflict

ManagingResources

Climate Change

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 4

We take information availability for granted …the developing world often can’t

• Knowledge is power– Where are resources located? – In what quantity? – And of what quality?

• But if knowledge is power…– Who owns the information?– Who has access to the information?– Who believes the information?

• The view from space…– a neutral, transparent, permanent (yet regular)

and globally available source of information

MAYAUX et al. 2004, A new land-cover map of Africa for the year 2000, Journal of Biogeography 31 (6), 861-877

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 5

Background image VGT 2000 Mosaic (image source JRC, data source CNES )

350 km2,400 km

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 6

Background image MODIS 10th January 2005 (source NASA )

35 km

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 7

Background image SPOT HRV 10 m March 2005 (image source JRC, data source CNES )

3.5 km

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 8

Background image SPOT HRV 2.5 m January 2005 (image source JRC, data source CNES )

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 9

Background image SPOT HRV 2.5 m March 2005 (image source JRC, data source CNES )

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 10

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 11

Source http://www.globaltimber.org.uk/africa.htm

Tropical Logs

MozambiqueNigeriaLiberiaGhanaCôte d’IvoireD.R. CongoC.A.R.Eq.GuineaCongo Bz.CameroonGabon

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 12

50,000 km2 of natural vegetation converted to agriculture every year since the 1970s

50 km

White Nile Irrigation Scheme – pre expansion 1975And after construction 2000 (images Landsat)

19752000

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 13

Africa’s population has doubled since 1970s

• less land per person

• Increasing pressure on environment andpopulation

• food insecurity • conflict and

migration

Source: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (2007). WorldPopulation Prospects: The 2006 Revision, Highlights. New York: United Nations.

Population changes 1950 - 2050

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1950 1975 2007 2050Year

Num

ber o

f per

sons

(mill

ions

) Africa Europe N. America

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 14

1963 (Declassified KH series military) Courtesy USGS

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 15

15th January 2008 (MODIS) Courtesy NASA

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 16

Improving Africa’s food security

• 20 years’ experience of agricultural monitoring in Europe is being adapted for Africa

– European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts’ daily data and climatology, plus meteorological data

– Land cover, vegetation condition and rainfall estimates from satellite

– Dedicated crop production models

• Crop and rangeland condition are assessed throughout the growing season, with regular bulletins produced highlighting vulnerability

• Close collaboration with UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Food Program for in country assessments is maintained

RemoteRemoteSensingSensing

METEOMETEO

CropCropmodelsmodels

StatisticsStatistics

ExpertiseExpertise

Source: JRC Food Security, O. Leo, Agrifish Unit http://mars.jrc.it/ and http://www.marsop.info/ )

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 17

Deforestation, illegal logging, water availability, fire…

Direct access to information• Information on location and condition of resources, on food security

and for humanitarian assistance issues is produced on an operational basis

• Information and Communications Technology links information producers with policy (and other) users across Africa

Land coverLand use

Status ofProtected

areas

Soil type and

condition

Vegetation condition

andcrop yield

Europe’s Users

UsingenGermany

Africa’sUsers

2 mBit/sC-band

AtlanticBird-3HotBird-64 mBit/sKu-band

Ku-band to C-bandconversion

FucinoItaly

MSG

EUMETCastUplink

Direct information feedto Africa

Africa’sUsers

Earth Observation for Africa, with Africa; AAAS Boston 14th – 18th February 2008 18

Earth observation for Africa, with Africa

• Earth observation technology isimproving the availability, quality and quantity of information concerning Africa’s environment and natural resources

• Africa does not stand alone – we are all connected, all affected

• A new partnership has now been put in place to foster wider and deeper uses; “GMES for Africa”

– http://lunar.jrc.it/AfObs/