News

The Africa Knowledge Platform team presented an overview of the platform and the energy-related decision support systems such as the Clean Energy Access (CEA) tool during the 5th International Conference on Solar Technologies and Hybrid Mini-Grids to improve energy access (4-6 September, Palma de Mallorca).  

The conference fosters exchange between industry practitioners, academia, developers, and investors working in energy access and local development.  

The CEA tool is an analytical tool that provides geospatial context to electricity access in Africa, and specifically to factors that influence the deployment of decentralised renewables in sub-Saharan Africa.  

The work presented at the conference was conducted in collaboration with the EU Delegation and DG INTPA, describing how this tool could help enhance the electrification of health facilities in Benin. The conference provided the occasion to boost the use of and to gather feedback on the CEA tool and on the platform.

The European Commission's effort to provide a unified tool that grants access and exploits information related to Africa was highly appreciated. The ground was laid to set collaborations with recognized institutes operating globally. 

The Tropical Summit, that took place from 4 to 8 November in Lisbon, was a unique event that gathered critical mass around the enduring challenges and uplifting opportunities in the tropics.

The main objectives of the Tropical Summit are to promote the transfer of knowledge, stimulate multidisciplinary collaboration and the involvement of stakeholders, and contribute to the co-creation and innovative projects, capitalizing and densifying existing initiatives and collaboration platforms for the rapid implementation of tangible and robust solutions.

A Parallel Event, part of the ArcX action, discussed the critical role of agroecology in addressing food system challenges in Africa. The event was jointly organised by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), the TPP Agroecology, IFAD, CORAF, CCARDESA, and the JRC.

Key Takeaways:
•    Paradigm Shift in Agriculture: Transition from conventional farming practices to focus on sustainability and environmental protection, guided by the post-Malabo agriculture strategy (launching in January 2025 by the African Union).
•    Policy Value Proposition: Agroecology offers multiple benefits, including carbon sequestration, nitrogen efficiency, biological control, biodiversity, and resource utilization. These can be demonstrated to policymakers to inform decision-making.
•    Farmer and Community Engagement: Involve farmers and local communities in developing locally adapted agroecological systems, balancing sustainability with costs and investments.
•    Science-Policy Dialogues: Regular dialogues between scientists and policymakers are essential for addressing relevant questions and translating research into initiatives and programs supporting agroecology.
•    Research and Evidence: More research is needed to demonstrate agroecology's benefits, and existing evidence must be disseminated for informed decision-making.
•    Policy Support and Enabling Frameworks: National and regional policies supporting sustainable agriculture are crucial, with enabling frameworks developed to facilitate agroecology adoption. Budgets should be reallocated, and education curricula must include agroecology more strongly.
•    Multidisciplinary Approach: Agroecology requires a multidisciplinary approach, integrating social, economic, and environmental considerations for a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and challenges.

The event emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to promoting agroecology, involving policymakers, farmers, and local communities, and informed by rigorous research and evidence. Engaging all relevant stakeholders and making evidence-based decisions are crucial for the successful transition to agroecology.

The First Annual Meeting of the Regional Centres of Excellence (RCoEs) for Biodiversity and Forests in Africa (kick-off event) took place from 8-11 October in Dakar, Senegal. 

The meeting aimed to chart a transformative roadmap for the sustainable management of the continent’s vast environmental resources and rich biodiversity (including forests, water bodies and wildlife) through data-driven, science-backed solutions and approaches. 

The Biodiversity and Forest and the Transversal component of the programme, which is funded by DG INTPA, is to help improve the cross-sectoral and cross-regional coordination and the strategic steering of RCoEs to address science, technology and innovation (STI) challenges and develop the STI capacities of RCoEs in thematic areas related to the green transition. 

Lessons learnt from Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Reference Information System (BIOPAMA-RIS, which was the precursor of the Biodiversity and Forest component, and the JRC’s involvement in the implementation of the Biodiversity and Forests component of the programme were presented. The Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET), which was developed under the BIOPAMA programme and widely adopted in Africa to improve the use and appropriation of planning monitoring-evaluation tools at the conservation site and central administration levels, was presented as well.

The Africa Knowledge Platform was showcased as the infrastructural backbone of the programme, providing geospatial data access, dissemination and sharing as well as a comprehensive suite of Decision Support Systems to bridge the science-policy gap. 

The meeting is a cornerstone in the implementation of the RCoEs for the Green Transition programme, and lays the foundation for the work to be carried out over the coming year.

We are delighted to invite you to the upcoming Webinar Copernicus Land Monitoring Service meets GMES and Africa community, which will be held as a continuation of our successful gatherings in Accra (2017) and Tunis (2022). This virtual meeting aims to foster dialogue and collaboration between the Copernicus and GMES and Africa communities. The webinar will be an excellent opportunity to engage with experts, gain insights into the latest developments, and explore collaborative prospects within the Copernicus services ecosystem.

Agenda Highlights: 
-          Updates on the latest evolutions in the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service, including new product introductions relevant to the African community. 
-          In-depth presentations from our contractors on the extensive range of Copernicus Land Service products—from reference products to tools and dissemination platforms. 
-          Opportunities to identify mutual areas of interest for potential collaboration and discuss the organization of future, more specific technical webinars. 

Featured Sessions: 
-          Sentinel 2 Global Mosaics by C. Lerebourg, ACRI 
-          Biophysical Variables Suite by R. Lacaze, Hygeos & R. Guzinski, DHI 
-          Water Quality by K. Stelzer, Brockmann Consult 
-          Water Level by A. Andral, CLS 
-          Ground Based Observation for Validation by C. Lerebourg, ACRI 
-          Global Land Cover & Forest Mapping by R. Van De Kerchove, VITO 
-          Hot Spot Monitoring for Biodiversity by A. Brink, DG JRC 
-          Hot Spot Monitoring for Agriculture by I. Palumbo, DG JRC 
-          CLMS Processing Tools by A. Argyridis, M. Clerici, DG JRC 
-          CLMS Dissemination Platforms by M. Clerici, P. Marasco, DG JRC 

In the context of the "Strengthening the Network of Centers of Excellence for Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa" (NOE) project, sponsored by the Italian Government and supported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), a delegation of nine distinguished African specialists and CIMA foundation embarked on a collaborative visit to the Joint Research Centre (JRC) on September 30, 2024. The delegation included representatives from African institutions, who engaged with the teams from the GMES&Africa program and the Africa Knowledge Platform.

The visiting delegation comprised the following experts:

Ms. Pamela Komujuni-Kalule
A Senior Disaster Management Officer with the Office of the Prime Minister, Government of Uganda.

Ms. Evelyn Baelvina Nyachwo
A Research Support Officer at Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), also serves on the Board of Legacy Road Safety Initiative, focusing on resource mobilization.

Edmond Barimah
Water and Sanitation industry as a Water Resource Engineer with expertise in Flood risk assessment and management, wastewater treatment plant design, stormwater drainage design.

Abdoul Aziz Oubeidillah
Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Mrs. Charlotte Norman
Director of Climate Change Department, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO)

Gigo Sumbane
Head of Department of Water Promotion and Conservation in INGD

Mussa Mustafa
Deputy Director General of the National Institute of Meteorology

Abednico Maphuru
Director, Geospatial Services at RCMRD

Martin Oteng-Ababio
Professor of Geography in the Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana.

During their visit, they were introduced to the Regional Centers of Excellence for the green transition program, and a vibrant exchange took place on the potential for cross-fertilization of knowledge and expertise. The discussions centered on the program's expansive reach and the imminent inclusion of climate resilience components, which are expected to bolster the network's capacity to mitigate and adapt to disaster risks across the continent.

The Africa Knowledge Platform and the Transversal Component of the ArcX program were prominently featured at the EO for Africa Symposium 2024, which took place at the European Space Agency's facility in Frascati from September 23rd to 26th, 2024. This symposium convened a diverse array of key stakeholders from the Earth Observation (EO) community in Africa, providing an exceptional venue to highlight the latest research and development in EO Science and Applications pertinent to the African context. Discussions at the symposium centered on the vital importance of EO applications in driving sustainable development, offering a platform for experts to explore and exchange insights on this critical topic.

Africa’s water efficiency would increase by 34% in 2030 as compared to 2016 due to an expected 60% increase in per capita GDP, according to research. 

To conduct the study Capturing the drivers of crop water footprints in Africa and its spatial patterns, researchers considered 43 African countries over the period 2002-2016 to analyse the existence of spatial relationships in the WF. After confirming the presence of spatial dependence in the water footprint, researchers estimated an econometric model that incorporates this spatial dependence when analysing the drivers of the water footprint.

As potential drivers, the model included per capita GDP (as a socioeconomic variable measuring the level of development of countries), the temperature variation (to capture environmental conditions), and the percentage of agricultural land relative to the total area of the country (indicating the importance of agriculture and the existence of a more intensive or extensive agricultural system.

More at: Capturing the drivers of crop water footprints in Africa and its spatial patterns - ScienceDirect

The Africa Knowledge Platform and the Regional Centres of Excellence program will be presented at the Regional Multi-actor Research Network Project Inception Meeting in Kampala, Uganda.

Background
Agriculture is a critical economic pillar in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), contributing significantly to the region's GDP through various sectors including crop production, animal husbandry, fisheries, and forestry. With the need to ensure both agricultural sustainability and environmental protection, agroecology has emerged as a viable approach to achieve these goals. Agroecology applies ecological principles to farming, enhancing ecosystem services and reducing reliance on external inputs. The EU's Multi-year Indicative Programme (MIP) for Africa supports the scaling of agroecological practices, an area where Africa, despite its ecological diversity, still lags in terms of documenting and sharing knowledge. Challenges such as insufficient research, underdeveloped bio-input markets, and limited impact of digital solutions on agroecological practices persist. To address these issues, the Regional Multi-actor Research Network (RMRN) Project has been initiated, aligning with international agreements like the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The project aims to elevate Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) capacities in agroecology implemented by sub-regional organizations like ASARECA, CCARDESA, and CORAF, to support the green transition in SSA. The project has three strategic objectives: to strengthen STI capacities in agroecology with a gender-sensitive approach; to increase RMRNs' contributions to agroecology through quality research and knowledge dissemination; and to enhance gender-sensitive support to agroecology stakeholders.

We are pleased to announce that the Africa Knowledge Platform (AKP) will support the Transversal Component of the Regional Centres of Excellence for the Green Transition Program.

At the heart of this initiative, the AKP serves as a dynamic nexus for data exchange and information dissemination among RCoEs and a broad network of stakeholders. The platform also provides decision-support tools to help policy makers with spatial prioritisation contributing to the strengthening of the science-policy interface.

We invite you to explore the enhanced capabilities of the AKP and to leverage the wealth of resources available.