While the importance of wetlands in providing critical societal and environmental services is globally recognized, the world's wetlands are disappearing at faster rates since the 20th century. Earth observation (EO) products provide efficient alternatives too expensive and time consuming field surveys for gathering data to monitor and assess wetlands. However, the human and institutional capacity for exploiting these technologies is still limited in southern Africa.
Pursuant to the GMES and Africa Support Programme directive, to promote the development of local capacities, institutional, human and technical resources for access to and exploitation of EO-based services on an operational basis for sustainable development in Africa, WeMAST (Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Service for Transboundary Basins in Southern Africa) has a strong capacity development component that is being facilitated by the University partners of the consortium. WeMAST, through its capacity development pillar, wants to ensure that the huge potential of earth observation technology and techniques is fully recognised and explored by decision makers for the sustainable management of wetlands in southern African.
In this line, WeMAST, with the support of the African Union and the European Commission, through the GMES and Africa Support Programme, fully funds six Master students and two Post Doctoral students, whose studies support the work on WeMAST, being performed by its partner institution.
During the WeMAST special session, it is proposed that
An introductory presentation is given,Students present the work they have been doing and A panel discussion thereafter deliberates the necessity and benefits of regional capacity development support through collaborative research Virtual 3 21st WaterNet/WARFSA/GWPSA Symposium waternet@waternetonline.org
While the importance of wetlands in providing critical societal and environmental services is globally recognized, the world's wetlands are disappearing at faster rates since the 20th century. Earth observation (EO) products provide efficient alternatives too expensive and time consuming field surveys for gathering data to monitor and assess wetlands. However, the human and institutional capacity for exploiting these technologies is still limited in southern Africa.
Pursuant to the GMES and Africa Support Programme directive, to promote the development of local capacities, institutional, human and technical resources for access to and exploitation of EO-based services on an operational basis for sustainable development in Africa, WeMAST (Wetland Monitoring and Assessment Service for Transboundary Basins in Southern Africa) has a strong capacity development component that is being facilitated by the University partners of the consortium. WeMAST, through its capacity development pillar, wants to ensure that the huge potential of earth observation technology and techniques is fully recognised and explored by decision makers for the sustainable management of wetlands in southern African.
In this line, WeMAST, with the support of the African Union and the European Commission, through the GMES and Africa Support Programme, fully funds six Master students and two Post Doctoral students, whose studies support the work on WeMAST, being performed by its partner institution.
During the WeMAST special session, it is proposed that
