SASSCAL to Host Workshop on Wetlands Monitoring Project in Namibia
This workshop represents a significant step in SASSCAL's efforts to develop an integrated geospatial data platform for wetlands information services in the region.
WINDHOEK, Namibia — The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) will host a technical partners workshop to review progress on its Wetlands Monitoring and Assessment (WeMAST) Phase II project, writes Sharon Kavhu.
The two-day workshop, scheduled for June 27-28 at the Protea Fürstenhof Hotel in Windhoek, will bring together the project team, technical partners, and private sector representatives to discuss project advancements.
WeMAST, funded under the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and Africa Support Programme, focuses on four basins across six Southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The project aims to provide policy and decision-makers with effective wetlands assessment and monitoring tools based on Earth Observation technology.
It seeks to promote policy implementation and encourage innovative wetland management practices in the region.
SASSCAL stated that the workshop will allow stakeholders to assess progress and realign roles to ensure a common understanding of project objectives and deliverables.
The organization will showcase new features of the enhanced WeMAST geoportal and seek feedback from technical partners.
Technical partners include universities from Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and South Africa, as well as Zambia's National Remote Sensing Centre and Kenya's Locate IT.
The WeMAST project highlights the importance of wetlands in providing ecosystem services, supporting biodiversity, and contributing to local livelihoods in Southern Africa.
This workshop represents a significant step in SASSCAL's efforts to develop an integrated geospatial data platform for wetlands information services in the region.