Workshop to bridge gap between science and policy

From 5 to 7 June 2023, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Southern African Science Service Centre for Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) co-hosted the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa Southern African Regional Workshop in Luanda, Angola.

The workshop, which was attended by an estimated 100 stakeholders, aims to bring together policy and decision-makers in Southern Africa and other stakeholders in the wetlands, environment and water resources management, under the theme “Earth observation bridging the gap between science and policy”.

The Angolan Minister of Higher Education and Innovation, Hon Prof. Maria do Rosario Braganca, formally opened the workshop, stating that it presents an important platform for sharing best knowledge and experiences by gathering decision-makers and stakeholders in one room for robust discussions.

Dr Tidiane Ouattara, the Space Science Expert and GMES and Africa Support Program Coordinator at the African Union Commission, acknowledged the work done by the CSIR in meeting the set objectives of the Earth observation initiatives.

CSIR Strategic Initiatives Implementation Contracts Manager and National Earth Observation and Space Secretariat Manager Adv. Lulekwa Makapela said, “The CSIR collaborates with stakeholders beyond South Africa and has been involved in the implementation of a number of GMES initiatives, building on the successes of the programme.”

The CSIR drives the Marine and Coastal Service Development for Southern Africa project that contributed to the creation of Abalobi, a global social enterprise, and its eponymous app that focuses on supporting fisheries with tools to optimise fishing operations, improve safety at sea to better understand environmental variability and monitor illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities. With the utilisation of Earth observation, the CSIR, together with regional partners, developed the services and applications that use Earth observation technologies to monitor and manage the coastal and marine environment for coastal zone management; monitor pollution, climate change and sea level rise; manage resources; as well as aid coastal zone planning and adaptation strategies and overall oceanography and marine ecosystems. One of the key resources of the development of these tools is from the Copernicus, European Union Space Programme.

The GMES and Africa, an instrument of the African Agenda of 2063 and African Space Policy and Strategy, adopted a continent that is not only a consumer in the global space arena, but a key driver of efforts to harness space technologies and applications, including Earth observation for sustainable development.

Hence, the GMES and Africa Southern Africa Regional Workshop provides a platform for policy and decision-makers and stakeholders to strengthen cross-fertilisation and exchange knowledge on new and innovative Earth observation technologies, as well as promote and encourage mutual exchanges in terms of sharing best practices, knowledge and experiences.