Natural Resource Monitoring in Africa

The objective of the Natural Resource Monitoring in Africa (NARMA) Core Information Service is to provide decision makers in Africa and with factual environmental information derived from Earth Observation data to support policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.

The thematic focus is on natural resource management in a seasonal as well as multi-annual perspective to facilitate decision making processes and medium term planning exercises. The service under development is deployed according to two axes: one part is technological and the other is the human interface between the processed data and the end users. The technological part of the service offers an integrated computer-based solution between data (typically low resolution data, with high acquisition frequency) received from Core Mapping Services and satellite application facilities via GEONETCast receiving stations and the end user. This NARMA service is packaged in the socalled “e-station”, which automates the final steps of data post-processing adjustable to the specific geographic and thematic areas to be covered, and provides a multi-user web-based reporting environment. The complete process is Open Source-based to facilitate learning, adaptation and maintenance.

The human interface is based on local expertise, in order to ensure data analysis by experts with a profound knowledge of the local environment.

Depending on the needs and requirements of end users the service can either be centralised or decentralised. The end products are typically bulletins, reports and briefing material supporting decision makers.

• Development of a reliable and sustainable environmental monitoring capacity over African countries;
• Reliable provision of advanced environmental monitoring data;
• Improvement of locally produced environmental reports;
• Open Source-based process facilitates the increase of flexibility, adaptability and expandability of services.

For further details please consult the NARMA Service flyer (2,4 MB) or contact the NARMA team by Email.

The NARMA products and services are accessible on the geoland2 SDI Expert portal.