MESA Policy Dialogue Highlights Final

Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa (MESA)
Highlights on EO applications in addressing regional and
national environmental and development issues
By
Dr. Stephen Maxwell Kwame Donkor
Independent Consultant
sdonkor@gmail.com

PRESENTATION OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. HIERARCHY OF POLICY FRAMEWORKS FOR
DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
3. CURRENT EARTH OBSERVATION INITIATIVES IN
AFRICA
4. EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS STORIES SO FAR FOR MESA
5. CASE STUDY OF EO FOR DISTRICT PLANNING IN
KENYA
6. CONCLUSIONS

INTRODUCTION
1. AU Agenda 2063 is a strategic framework for the
socio-economic transformation of the continent
over the next 50 years.
2. Its builds on, and seeks to accelerate the
implementation of past and existing continental
initiatives for growth and sustainable development
3. ASPIRATION 1:
A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and
sustainable development

HIERARCHY OF POLICY FRAMEWORKS
FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA
1. THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
(SDGs)
2. AGENDA 2063
3. POLICIES OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC
COMMUNITIES
4. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND
PLANS
5. SUB-NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS

A Framework for Sustainable Development
Source: “Realizing the Future We Want For All,” UN System Task Team, June 2012, p. 24
5

Completing the unfinished business of the MDGs
Two parallel
processes
NOW
One holistic
2030 Agenda agenda
THEN
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
TRACK
Focus on environmental sustainability
MDG TRACK
Strong focus on
social dimension
Revisiting sustainable development with an integrated
and balanced
view of its 3 dimensions

The Goals will stimulate action over the next 15 years in 5 areas of critical importance:
People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace & Partnership.

SOME CURRENT EARTH OBSERVATION
INITIATIVES IN AFRICA
1. COPERNICUS
2. TIGER
3. SERVIR
4. FEWSNET
5. UNOSAT INTERNATIONAL CHARTER

Advances in
data acquisition
technologies
Opportunities:
 Copernicus program
 SERVIR-Africa program
 Landsat program
 International Charter on
Space and Major Disasters

COPERNICUS –
http://www.copernicus.eu/main/copernicus-brief
 Copernicus is a European system for
monitoring the Earth.
 Copernicus consists of a complex set of
systems which collect data from multiple
sources: earth observation satellites and in
situ sensors such as ground stations,
airborne and sea-borne sensors. It processes
these data and provides users with reliable
and up-to-date information through a set of
services related to environmental and
security issues.
 The services address six thematic areas:
land, marine, atmosphere, climate change,
emergency management and security

TIGER -www.tiger.esa.int
1. In 2002, responding to WSSD, the ESA, launched the
TIGER initiative to promote the use of EO for improved
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in
Africa.
2. to assist African countries to overcome problems in the
collection, analysis and use of water related geo-
information and to fill existing information gaps
relevant for effective and sustainable water resources
management.
3. Over more than 10 years of existence the TIGER
initiative has established and supported capacity
building activities and development projects involving
some 42 African countries
4. TIGER has been endorsed by AMCOW (African
Ministerial Council on Water)

SERVIR- https://servirglobal.net/
1. A joint development initiative of NASA and USAID,
SERVIR works to help developing countries use
information provided by EO satellites and geospatial
technologies for managing climate risks and land
use.
2. Empower decision-makers with tools, products, and
services to act locally on climate-sensitive issues
such as disasters, agriculture, water, and
ecosystems and land use.
3. Developed over 40 custom tools, collaborated with
over 200 institutions, and trained more than 1800
individuals, improving the capacity to develop local
solutions.
4. In Africa works with RCMRD and AGRYHMET

SERVIR- https://servirglobal.net/

FEWSNET-www.fews.net
1. The Famine Early Warning Systems
Network is a leading provider of early
warning and analysis on food
insecurity.
2. Created by USAID in 1985 to help
decision-makers plan for humanitarian
crises, FEWS NET provides evidence-
based analysis on some 35 countries

INTERNATIONAL CHARTER SPACE AND MAJOR
DISASTERS -https://www.disasterscharter.org
1. The International Charter aims at
providing a unified system of space
data acquisition and delivery to those
affected by natural or man-made
disasters through Authorized Users.
2. Each agency member has committed
resources to support the provisions of
the Charter and thus is helping to
mitigate the effects of disasters on
human life and property.

INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS CHARTER
https://www.disasterscharter.org/web/guest/home
1. CYCLONES
2. EARTHQUAKES
3. FLOODS
4. FOREST FIRES
5. LANDSLIDES
6. OIL SPILLS
7. VOLCANOES
8. OTHERS

INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS CHARTER
https://www.disasterscharter.org/web/guest/home

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS STORIES SO
FAR FOR MESA
1. POTENTIAL FISHERIES ZONES IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
2. FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SUPPORT IN GUINEA GOLF.
3. LAND DEGRADATION IN IGAD REGION.
4. WATER LEVEL ALERTS FOR NAVIGATION AND WATER
BALANCE IN THE CONGO RIVER BASIN.
5. EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATE FORECASTS FOR
AFRICA REGION.
6. PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION OF DROUGHT IN
BOTSWANA.
7. SENSITIZATION OF POLICY MAKERS

MESA Policy Dialogue Workshop 19 – 20 September 2016 SLIDE Nr. 24 of 23
MESA IOC Services/Policy Linkage
Service 1 :
Marine Resources
Management
Potential Fishing Zone
Monthly Oceanography
Bulletin

Results and outcomes
• Available information on fishing grounds & vessel activities
• An opportunity to monitor activities of poachers
• Providing input for decision making & enforcement actions
• Plans to define closure areas and seasons
Density map of fishing vessel activity from
24 –June to 3 August, 2015
Monitoring small fishing vessels fitted with
ABSEA transponders
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
-100
-100
-100
-100
-100
-100
-100
-100
-100
-60
-60
-60
-60
-60
-60
-60
-60
-60
-50
-50
-50 -50
-50
-50
-50
-50
-50
-50
-50
-50
-30
-30
-30
-30
-30
-30
-30
-30
-30
-25
-25
-25
-25
-25
-25
-25
-25
-20
-20
-20
-20
-20
-20
-20
-20
495
495
495
2
10
100
300
Takoradi
Tema
GHANA
Vessel
counts

The information is given in the following ways:
i. Maps. Some of which are self-explanatory
Very High degradation
Very high risk of land disturbance
by water erosion
High degradation
High risk of land disturbance by
water erosion
Medium degradation
State of vigilance for land
disturbance by water erosion
Low degradation
Low exposure to soil degradation by
water erosion
Very Low degradation
Very Low exposure to soil
degradation by water erosion

MESA Services and Products
at CEMAC - Service 2:
Monitoring the water balance
of the major sub-basins
This service relies on satellite-based rainfall and evapo-
transpiration data to estimate monthly water balance (storage)
for the major sub-basins (Kasai, Oubangui and Sangha).
Assessment and monitoring of the flooding of forest and
wetlands in the central bowl of Congo basin are also carried
out.

Two Inter-ministerial
teams
Validating of Drought
indices with field work
Report presented
to the Ministers at
Parliament.
Vegetation-VCIRainfall- Anomaly
FieldworkRSDataReport
Declare drought /
No drought
Botswana Drought Assessment
Credit: Drought service NFP- Esther Jansen, Met Dept, Botswana

High level support for MESA SADC
Namibia and Botswana
ambassadors to ZIM
Vice chancellor, UoZ
Minister of Minerals, Energy and
Water Resources, Botswana
Minister of Agriculture,
Botswana
President, Kikwete, Tanzania Prime minister, Tanzania

ACMAD Continental Climate THEMA
Sensitization of politicians and decision makers continued
with
March 2015
August/
September
2015
April 2015
various RCOFs

CASE STUDY OF EO FOR DISTRICT
PLANNING
EMUHAYA CONSTITUENCY -EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS
Credit to:
• Hon. Dr. Wilber Ottichilo
• Member of Parliament,
• Emuhaya Constituency, Kenya
• Email: wottichilo@gmail.com
• and
• Erick Khamala
• Managing Director, LocateIT Limited, Kenya
• Email: erick.khamala@locateit.co.ke

Pleiades image, 25th Feb. 2014
Experiences
and Lessons
Emuhaya
Constituency

 The Emuhaya Constituency Strategic Plan (2008 – 2018;
2008 – 2013, 2013 - 2018
 Has set up the first ever Constituency GIS / ICT Centre in
Kenya that hosts the Constituency Development
Information
System (CDIS)
 Accurate and reliable information is key in the identification
of priority community projects and sound planning &
implementation.
 The CDIS is supporting various sectors: education, health,
water, energy, environment, security, etc including
addressing youth & gender issues
About the Constituency (Cont…)

GI Information Initiatives
Mapped all public education facilities by type
of buildings
Semi-permanent buildings in Elununi Primary
Schools are being replaced by permanent
buildings using CDF. Currently budgeted for
more infrastructural development in schools
Mapped all public education facilities by
status of electricity availability
Electricity has been installed in all schools
Mapped all roads and their conditions and
areas that need opening of new roads
Opened many new roads, graded and murramed
existing roads and have put in place a
maintenance program
Mapped exiting health facilities & resource
requirement and proximity analysis
Constructing new health facilities based on
spatial analysis and have improved
infrastructural and man power resources
Mapped existing security installations (police
posts and camps) and crime prone areas
Constructing more police posts/camps,
increased security personnel and installed solar
masts to light up crime prone areas
Mapped tree cover and identified areas that
needed afforestation (including schools)
Initiated afforestation program for all schools
and provided free seedlings to farmers as part of
agroforestry promotion (tree cover has increased
from 10% to 30% in five years)
Mapped rivers/streams, water springs and
wetlands
Over 70% of the water springs have been
protected, planting of indigenous trees and
bamboo in wetlands and re-afforestation of
degraded hills

TARGET: No child should walk
more than one kilometre to
primary school
Esalwa Pri. Sch Essaba Pri. Sch
Asikote Shopping Centre
Ipali Shopping Centre
primary school
Emwatsi Pri. Sch.
Ebuyangu Junction
Ebucheli Pri. Sch.
Ebucheli Primary School
primary school

Examples from the Health Sector

Current and Proposed
Coverage of Health
Facilities at 1.5 Km Radius
(Approx. 7 sq. Km each carrying an estimated
population of about 10,000 people i.e potential
total catchment of about 120,000 people)
Ebukoolo Disp.
Essaba Disp.
Esirulo Disp.
Emurembe Disp.
Construction just completed
Construction ongoing
Currently under construction:
Esirulo Dispensary
Photo taken on 26th August 2015
Current and Proposed
Coverage of Health
Facilities at 1.5 Km Radius
(Approx. 7 sq. Km each carrying an estimated
population of about 10,000 people i.e potential
total catchment of about 120,000 people)
Ebukoolo Disp.
Essaba Disp.
Esirulo Disp.
Emurembe Disp.
Just completed
Construction ongoing
Land purchased

National and County Roads
in Emuhaya Constituency
LEGEND
National Road
County Road

Agricultural and Agro-forestry Sector

verage size of farmlands in Emuhaya Constituency is less than one acr
thus need high to very high resolution data

What others can learn from our experience

 Need a strong anchorage (e.g strategic plan in the case of Emuhaya)
 Need a Geo-enlightened leadership and buy-in (e.g Emuhaya MP, CD
Committee and the entire political & administrative leadership in Emuhaya Constitue
 Institutional capacity development (human, infrastructural, data
should be prioritized by projects and deployed in such a manne
that it guarantees full absorption (Emuhaya prioritized setting up a GIS/IC
 Need a dedicated mechanism that links information producers
and decision makers (regular meetings between Emuhaya leadership and Loca
 Need to embrace Public–Private–Partnerships (Emuhaya CDF & Locat
 Need to embrace emerging technologies (new sensors e.g Sentinel 1, 2
LiDAR; GNSS; smartphones; cloud computing; dynamic geo-portals; etc)
Need focused and targeted communication for different audien
(decision makers, technocrats/scientists, general public, media,
(info-graphics (e.g compendium) are preferred for decision makers; Radio / TV / socia
preferred for general public)
 Need champions (individuals, institutions, success stories, etc)
 Need M&E system that tracks service usage & impacts (website hi
feedback through media (mainstream, social), opinion polls, etc)

CONCLUSIONS
1.POLICY MAKERS SURVEY
RESULTS ON MESA PRODUCTS
AND INFORMATION.
2.RECOMMENDATIONS
3.WAY FORWARD

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