The Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), is the lead institution for one of GMES and Africa’s consortia in the Eastern Africa region. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, the consortium addresses land degradation, wetlands monitoring and assessment and agro-ecological zonings.

RCMRD provides atlases, maps, quarterly bulletins, reports, training materials, digital databases, brochures and guidelines that provide information relevant to decision-making, in order to address the problems related to land degradation, wetland monitoring and assessment, as well as agro-ecological zonings. The consortium’s target beneficiaries include: communities and individuals dealing with natural resources management at all levels, farmers, nomadic pastoralists and rural communities, civil services, local authorities, city councils, parks and natural reserves administrations.

RCMRD has succeeded in assigning a Technical Working Group to the project and organised a workshop for all stakeholders to discuss products and services. It has also conducted needs assessments in partner institutions, whilst identifying relevant services and products that will be made available to the users.

RCMRD’s partners include the Ethiopian Mapping Agency, Makerere University, Mauritius’ Ministry of Lands, and Rwanda’s Water and Forestry Authority, The consortium expects to help inform and equip ministries and institutions with tools that combat land degradation, thereby addressing a major problem confronting some populations. Wetlands are a source of life, especially for food, hunting, fishing, etc. Therefore, RCMRD’s efforts at wetlands conservation have a direct impact on the quality of life of people living around wetlands. To improve the interpretation of Earth Observation data, RCMRD will develop a consistent and comprehensive open geographical regional reference database that will be accessed at national & regional level