Zim to host AFRIGEOSS symposium
It is a fact that global warming has made planning for disasters, agricultural activities and related issues vital for states and governments.
IN LIGHT of this, the Group on Earth Observation was established with the aim of fostering international collaboration in exploiting the growth potential of earth observation. Earth observation involves the use of satellite technology to observe the earth for purposes of monitoring phenomena such as droughts.
It also involves mechanisms to monitor agriculture, bio-diversity, water resources and cycle observation, health, energy resources and ecosystems.
The voluntary group of governments and international organisations’ main objective is to support decision-making in an increasingly complex and environmentally stressed world.
And Zimbabwe this month hosts the GEO AfriGEOSS Symposium in Victoria Falls amid high hopes on the benefits associated with hosting such an important event on the technological development calendar.
According to University of Zimbabwe Geography and Environmental Science Department chairperson Professor Amon Murwira, hosting the symposium will help Zimbabwe in its endeavour to encourage and lead Africa in this area and embracing the technological development.
“It is important with the knowledge of satellite technology has enabled us to see what we were not able to, for example, geographical information science and earth observation,” Prof Murwira said.
“It stands out as one of the key knowledge areas of the 21st century together with bio-technology and nano-technology.”
Prof Murwira, who is a board member of the Research Council of Zimbabwe and GEO Programme, said for Zimbabwe to develop in the 21st century, it needs geographic information science and earth observation.
“Such technology can assist in such critical areas as land surveys and related issues,” he said.
Zimbabwe joined the group, which aims at improving policy decisions through co-ordinating the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) through the Research Council of Zimbabwe in May last year.
The AfriGEOSS is made up of 27 countries with Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mauritius and Madagascar representing the Southern African region.
“The societal benefit areas of earth observation include monitoring agriculture, bio-diversity, natural disasters, water resources and cycle observation, weather patterns, climate, health, energy resources and ecosystems,” he said.
Prof Murwira said earth observation can be basically understood as how satellites help people to understand the earth.
The AfriGEOSS Symposium is the first in Africa and is being co-ordinated on behalf of Zimbabwe by the Research Council of Zimbabwe and the UZ Geography Information Science and Earth Observation.
The symposium will be attended by representatives from the African Union Commission, SADC, World Meteorological Organisation, Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa, European Space Agency, US Geological Survey and the Central African Forest Commission among others.
South Africa, which co-chairs the GEO, will be represented by the Department of Science and Technology and the SA Space Agency.
This year’s event will run under the theme “Earth Observation for the Africa We Want!”
“Among the topics for the symposium include; Enabling AfriGEO’s Implementation, Leadership, Ownership and Collaboration, Earth Observation for a food secure Africa, Harmonised Land Cover Mapping for Africa in Support of Environmental Management and Sustainable Forest Management,” Prof Murwira said.
The symposium will also discuss top- ics on sustainable urban development, bio-diversity and ecosystems, disaster resilience and water resources management.
Zimbabwe attended the GEO-XII meeting in Mexico in November last year, being chair of the African Union successfully put up a bid to host the AfriGEOSS Symposium.
“Hosting the AfriGEOSS symposium is a step towards Zimbabwe’s future Space Science Capacity Building.
“Not only will this event exhibit Zimbabwe’s ability to lead but showcase the University of Zimbabwe’s research and intellectual prowess in Africa,” Prof Murwira said.
He said AfriGEOSS is well within the National Research Priorities of Zimbabwe as it covers all the four strategic research priority areas, with stronger links with the sustainable environment and natural resources management, promoting and maintaining good health/food security and the national security of Zimbabwe particularly protection from natural disasters, pests and invasive species.
“The AfriGEOSS will also ensure that Zimbabwe keeps abreast with developments in the Global Space Science and Earth Observation community.
“This has the potential of enhancing Zimbabwe’s future space science capacity-building programmes.”
He said Zimbabwe could developing Space Science capacity by learning from the experiences of other countries in the platform provided for by AfriGEOSS.
The AfriGEOSS symposium will also present collaboration opportunities for the UZ experts and other national experts in the fields of focus.
“In addition, the information generated and shared during the symposium has a bearing on various aspects of the country’s development planning,” Prof Murwira said.
All the areas of focus of the GEO are critical success areas of the national socio-economic development plan. Thus, tapping into the pool of information within this network enables Zimbabwe to have focused and evidence-based development plans,” he said.
Prof Murwira said the GEOSS was a step towards addressing the challenges articulated by United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“Hosting the AfriGEOSS symposium will be a demonstration of Zimbabwe’s commitment to the implementation of international environmental treaty obligations. It will also showcase the University of Zimbabwe’s role as a leader in Africa,” he said.
The objectives of the symposium include understanding the role of Earth Observations in the implementation of African policies for sustainable development and identifying means and ways for mainstreaming Earth Observations in the decision making processes in Africa.
It will also review the AfriGEOSS implementation approach and develop a detailed technical and financial programme; building synergies with GEO initiatives and international initiatives relevant to Africa with continental initiatives.
The GEO was formed following the resolution of the 2002 United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development and the G8 summit of 2003.
It aims at improving policy decisions by coordinating strategies among participating voluntary governments and international organisations.
The group also facilitates the acquisition and dissemination of land, air, sea and space data towards building a coordinated and sustained information system, the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
Its focus on information sharing and capacity building in Earth Observation presents opportunities for local experts to develop as well as to access important data generated from the GEOSS.
Africa has its own chapter of GEOSS, AfriGEOSS, which has the same mission as the GEOSS but with particular focus on Africa.