The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa programme recognizes that capacity building and training are critical for successful Earth observation technologies in Africa. RCMRD which is one of the GMES and Africa Implementing Consortium organized a series of online training with the implementing private sectors.
On 6th -8th March 2023, RCMRD in collaboration with Geo-Spatial Research International (GRI) organized a training on the Socioeconomic Valuation of Degraded Lands and Wetlands; the application of Cost of Land and Wetland Degradation (COLWED) tool. The training brought together over 200 participants across Africa from various sectors such as Land, Environment, Water and Energy, Agriculture, Wildlife Academia and parties interested in the developed Earth observation-based tool for use in socioeconomic valuation processes of degraded lands and wetlands.
The main objective of the training was to raise awareness of the tool which was developed by GRI in collaboration with RCMRD to offer practical guidance to allow an inclusive socio-economic valuation process of degraded lands and wetlands and build the capacity of stakeholders on the applications and use.
The COLWED tool is an earth observation-based tool, intended for sustainable socioeconomic valuation of natural resources, to support monitoring as well as restoration of degraded ecosystems by informing policy intervention processes at regional and national levels.
COLWED was implemented through the support of the GMES and Africa Programme with a purpose of improving the capacities of African policy-makers, planners, scientists, and private sector businessmen among other citizens to design, implement, and monitor national, regional and continental policies that promote sustainable management of natural resources through the use of Earth Observation data and derived information.
After three days of training on the socio-economic valuation of ecosystems, the learners were able to apply the methodology at the country level to inform decision-making and influence policy formulation, planning and Management, conservation, and restoration of degraded land and wetland ecosystems thereby ensuring that ecosystems are protected and the needs of local communities are met.
About GRI
Geo-Spatial Research International (GRI) is a company that provides a range of services related to geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing. GRI has expertise in a variety of areas, including environmental management, natural resources management, urban planning, agriculture, and disaster management.
Read More: https://www.georesearch.co.ke/
Read More: https://geoportal.rcmrd.org/
