Improving drought, wetlands, and surface water monitoring in West Africa using EO data

This new brochure describing how Earth Observation (EO) data supports AGRYHMET, West Africa’s leading drought monitoring centre, in its work to improve food security in West Africa was recently released by The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Earth Observation for Sustainable Development Climate Resilience (EO4SD CR) cluster. 

The brochure describes how the EO4SD CR cluster supported AGRYHMET’s project preparation by providing a range of EO datasets and services that inform drought assessments and wetlands monitoring. The data include climate indicators such as rainfall, soil moisture, and water availability.

By integrating this data in to AGRYHMET’s existing processes, EO data helped to enhance the assessments that AGRYHMET already do by increasing the accuracy and timeliness of drought monitoring and forecasts. In combination with socioeconomic data, AGRYHMET can build a better picture of food security, desertification control, and water control and management, helping to enhance climate resilience in the region by identifying focus areas for intervention.

The EO4SD CR cluster provides insight about the potential of Earth Observation (EO) data to support climate-resilient decision making at the regional and national scale. In collaboration with several International Financial Institutions, the EO4SD CR cluster has developed EO-based screening and risk management products that can be integrated into different platforms and project cycles.