A regional workshop to present the outcome of the AfriCultuReS project “Enhancing food security in African agricultural systems with the support of remote sensing” is organized by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory with the collaboration of CNCT, INRGREF, CRDA, as well as the project regional partners (GMV, SIA, DRAXIS Environmental SA and HCP International (HCP), AUTH, etc.).
Chaired by Mr. Hamed Daly, Director General of ONAGRI, the meeting is held semi-face-to-face in the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries and on the OSS virtual platform so that the different departments and associated ministries are involved. The workshop begun with the opening speech of H.E. Mrs. Akissa Bahri, Tunisian Minister of Agriculture, as well as the opening speeches of the OSS outgoing and new Executive Secretaries, respectively Mr. Khatim Kherraz and Mr. Nabil Ben Khatra, as well as the regional coordinator of the Africultures project, Mr. Juan Suárez.
One of the highlights of this workshop was the presentation of the preliminary copy of the land use map of Tunisia (10m resolution) as well as detailed maps of crops and irrigated areas in the pilot areas of the project (Bizerte, Jendouba, Kairouan and Nabeul) elaborated by the OSS, with the collaboration of CNCT, ONAGRI and CRDA.
Sessions will also be dedicated to the introduction of geospatial platforms and the three operational Earth Observation services developed in synergy with the GMES & Africa project.
AfriCultuReS is a research project funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 program for a 4-year period, as part of a 17-partner consortium. It relates to selected pilot areas in eight (8) African countries (South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda and Tunisia) and aims to provide decision makers with tools to address food security in Africa with greater operational power.
As for the North African region, the project is coordinated by the OSS, which provides products and services for the implementation of an integrated monitoring and warning system in the agricultural sector, in support of decision-making in the field of food security.