Woody Biomass Inventory

In Ethiopia the Woody Biomass Inventory and Strategic Planning Project (BISPP) is inventorying 250,000 square kilometers of high forest, bushland and agricultural area to determine consumption patterns and identity pressure points. Wood is the primary source of energy for heating and cooking in Africa and these applications take a tremendous toll on the existing forested areas. In addition, wood is also a necessary material for building construction and for the production of paper products.

In order for forests to be sustainable, the rate of consumption must not exceed the rate of regeneration, and because of the usual inaccessibility of forested areas, remote sensing is the only feasible way of monitoring this resource.

Sustainability is also dependent upon informed decision making at the higher levels of govermnent.

The remote sensing literature is filled with examples throughout the world of situations where national forest reserves were shown on Landsat imagery to be considerably less than what was believed by govermnent officials. Throughout the world, illegal cutting for building materials and fuelwood and over harvesting by logging companies has taken a tremendous toll on forests. Because of their inaccessibility, accurate monitoring of forest resources was virtually impossible until the advent of satellite technology. In fact, it has only been since satellite imagery has become available that the world's attention has been focused on the rapidly depleting forest reserves. Now decision makers have the data needed to make those hard decisions about forest conservation.

5,3 Desertification

Within the past decade many organizations and projects have been developed to monitor desertification and provide early warning for famine susceptible areas. One of the most successful of these organizations has been Agrhymet, a technical branch of CILSS situated in Niamey, Niger.

The terrible drought in the Sahelian region in the mid-1970s has not been forgotten. In fact, researchers in the ECOSSEN Project ("Ecography" of Subsaharan Senegalese Areas Environment

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Cotinz - 41

An assessment of the status of the African Remote Sensing Programme Economic Commission for Africa

and Rural Development) in Dakar have charted drought cycles since 1900 and found them to be reoccurring at approximately thirty year intervals. This would place the next serious drought in that region about in the year 2010.

Agrhymet has established three goals in an attempt to mitigate this problem. These goals are: (I) to assist in providing early warning through the dissemination of agro-meteorological and hydrological information, (2) to help the CILSS countries to increase food production by providing relevant information to government agencies, donors and other groups working with farmers and (3) to create a natural resource and socioeconomic data management system to monitor degradation and environmental change. Agrhymet is attempting to meet these goals partially through the timely interpretation and distribution of weather satellite data.

The principal users of Agrhymet information are personnel in ministries of agriculture, livestock, water and other agencies in the region which are responsible for food security and maintenance of an ecological balance. It is hoped that the information provided will allow the users to quantifY the risks by anticipating droughts and other climatic impacts on programs at the farm level. Several crop models have been developed and a 10-day summary bulletin of meteorological conditions occurring over the CILSS region is distributed regularly.

Agrhymet is developing its rainfull estimates through the use of Me teo sat data as an early warning device. Agrhymet also receives NOAA data and calculates Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDV!) at 10 day intervals for the countries of the CILSS region. Through these and other efforts in the Sahelian region, there is hope that the next drought, should it occur, will have a far less impact on human lives that the last one.

5.4 Oceanography

Fisheries and marine resources are particularly important to those countries bordering on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Centre for Oceanographic Research (CRODT) in Senegal is an example of one organization that was founded to do oceanographic research. Using remote sensing GIS, weather monitoring systems and the latest digital processing equipment, CRODT monitors coastal erosion, climate, atmospheric conditions, ocean currents and temperature, and the movement

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Collnz - 42

An assessment of the status of the African Remote Sensing Programme Eoonomic Commission for Africa

of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Data from many sources including weather satellites and ships at sea., are collected at CRODT's modern laboratories in Dakar. An example of one project being conducted by CRODT is the monitoring of the coastline along the mouth of the Senegal River in the North of the country. A long sand spit on the outer bank of the river had for many years protected the inner bank and a substantial length of shoreline from erosion. During a recent storm, this sand spit was breached cutting off habitation at the end of the spit and exposing a length of inner shoreline to the full force of the ocean.

Using Landsat imagery, CRODT has been monitoring the effects of the changes in currents resulting from the breach. This will provide an early warning to any habitation or structures along the coast line which could be exposed to erosion from the new current patterns. Knowledge of the nature of the new current patterns and any resulting erosion will enable authorities to develop remedial measures. This is only one of many examples where CRODT combines weather satellite data with land satellite remote sensing data to address a potentially serious environmental problem.

5.5 Forest Management

Forest management takes place in many forms, from simply letting the trees grow to intensive management for maximum productivity. South Africa has some of the most intensively managed forests in Mrica. South Africa has commercialized its forestry interests with the creation of the Mrican Forestry Company Limited (SAFCOL) which owns and manages almost 25% of the country's fOrest plantations. From its plantations, the company provides approximately a third of the country's sawiogs, which playa major role in meeting the housing and other solid timber needs of all of South Africa. As by-products of its operations, the company also provides chips and pulpwood to the paper industry contributing to the full spectrum of the forest products industry.

One example ofSAFCOL's intensive management is that it grows its own seedlings in its own nurseries from seed produced in the company's seed orchards or from cutting nurseries. This ensures a continuous supply of high quality stock which is bred for rapid growth characteristics. Another example of the company's intensive management and dedication to quality is the fact that it claims to

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Co~nl -43

An assessment of the status of the African Remote Sensing Progrnmme Economic Commission tor Africa

be the largest producer of pruned softwood logs in the world. Pruning is a labour intensive activity that can result in higher yields and a substantial increase in product quality.

In order to monitor every aspect of its intensive forest management SAFCOL has acquired the latest in GIS and computer technology. The GIS tracks planting, tree growth, pruning operations, fertilizing, disease and insect infestation problems, cutting, recreational activities, soil erosion and several other environmental concerns. In this way, managers have all of the necessary information at their finger tips to aid in making management decisions which will maximize production.

South Africa's forest management practices might be considered a model for other African countries to emulate. South Africa is not naturally endowed with natural forests but its management practices have made it possible for the country to become self sustaining in forest products. Forestry is labour intensive making it an attractive industry for countries where there is high unemployment.

Other countries should consider the possibility of a joint venture with SAFCOL. They could profit from the company's experience in forest management and forest product marketing. Improving their forest practices would improve the quality and increase the quantity of their forest products. It would also utilize a substantial amount of excess labour. If a joint venture relationship were worked out, it is possible that a country could pay for the technical assistance provided through the increased productivity of its forests.

5.6 Agricultural Applications

With agriculture being the backbone of Africa's economy, there should be many opportunities for the beneficial application of remote sensing and related technologies. Nigeria's Department of Agricultural Land Resources in the Ministry of Agriculture is an example of an agency that understands the needs for this technology and is moving rapidly to acquire the necessary skills and equipment. The Department had some equipment and trained personnel at one time but in a govermnent restructuring this unit was moved to another agency.

The need is still there, however, and with the aid of World Bank financing, the Department is planning to acquire the necessary equipment and training to begin a land and water resources inventory of the country. The Department needs to know the areas of cultivation so that it can

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Cotinz ' 44

.'\n assessment of the status of the African Remote Sensing Programme Economic Commission for Africa

determine how much additional land is available for cultivation and where it is situated. Reliable figures on existing areas of cultivation are also needed to be able to supply the Statistics Department with the figures it needs to detennine crop yields and the need for fertilizer distribution. The Department is presently conducting soil surveys and soil fertility studies to aid in its planning for future development. A limited amount of remote sensing is being used to monitor and map soil erosion. Satellite imagery is also being used to identifY land use and land cover. One example of the application of this information is the development of tree planting programmes, particularly in the developntent of shelter belts.

Because Nigeria is a large country, both remote sensing and GIS technology are needed to provide information for agricultural development decision making. The data from ongoing mapping of land use, land cover, soil types, water distribution all need to be entered into a GIS for systematic analysis of the interrelationships of these features. Also needed is soil fertility data and transportation infrastructure so that a more efficient fertilizer distribution system can be designed. Fortunately the management of the Department realizes these needs and is taking steps to acquire the needed technology.

5.7 Aerial Video Photography for Land Use and Agriculture

One small project that deserves recognition for its innovative approach to collecting agricultural land use data is the Agricultural Sector Development Grant II Project taking place in Niger with USAID funding. This project combines aerial remote sensing, with GPS and GIS in a way that provides very useful information at a relatively low cost. The project is being executed by South Dakota State University and involves light aircraft surveys of traditional farming areas in the central part of the country.

Data are collected by a video camera mounted in a light aircraft flown at low altitude over farming areas in the semi-arid Sahelian region. Photography is done on a sampling basis with individual flight strips rather than attempting comprehensive coverage. The development of an area sample frame is being considered to systematize the sampling.

2nd Draft Report by Mernll Colinz - 45

An assessment of tin:: status of the African Remote Sensing Programme Economic Commission for Africa

Flight strips are controlled by GPS equipment mounted in the aircraft. With the positioning of these flight strips known, the video data are goo-referenced to satellite and map data already in a GIS configuration. The low altitude video photography has a sufficiently high resolution to enable interpreters to distinguish cultivated land from new fallow, old fallow, grazing and bush land. Land boundaries and shelter belts can also be identified on the photography. These are details which are important for agricultural land use planning but which cannot be distinguished on satellite imagery or small scale aerial photographs.

In summary, the project is an innovative combination of satellite remote sensing, aerial photography, GPS, GIS and area frame sampling. It is an application that could be extended to other countries with similar land use conditions.

5.8 Land Use, Urban and Regional Planning

The Comite National de Teledetection et d'Information Geographique (CNTIG) located in Abidjan has a broad mandate for the collection and analysis of many forms of geographic for Cote d'Ivoire.

CNTIG's main activities are: (I) developing a national system of geographic information for the land and environment, (2) organizing seminars for geographic information users and decision makers, (3) conceiving and developing projects in the areas of environment, urbanization, cartographic mapping and land use and (4) collecting and distributing satellite imagery.

CNTIG has a modem laboratory in Abidjan equipped with large capacity (486 and Pentium based) computers, laser printers, digitizers, scanners and electronic communications for information and data transmission both nationally and intemationally. As the national centre for the analysis and processing of data. CNTIG serves the geographic information needs of all of the government agencies ..

CNTlG's activities clearly satisfy the Agenda 21 criteria for promoting sustainable development, particularly in the areas of human settlements and the planning and management ofland resources.

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Cotinz - 46

,n assessment of the status of the African Remote Sensing Programme Economic Commission for Africa

6

6.1 Effective Support of Sustainable Development

The preceding chapter describes several projects where the technology is being used effectively in sustainable development. Of the approximately eighty organizations visited during this study, all but a few are using the technology to collect, process, store and analyse geographic information for the projects for which they are responsible. VIrtually all of the possible applications of the technology which require geographic information in support of development were represented in the selections of organizations visited. As indicated previously, these include mapping, agriculture, forestry, soil analysis, water and hydrologic studies, land use, geology, rangeland carrying capacity, environmental monitoring and others.

The examples presented offer very substantial evidence that productivity and the quality of the decision making would be substantially lower without the benefits of the technology. Section 5.5, for example, describes the contribution of GIS in forest management. The tracking and management capability that this technology provides helps quantifY the effects of fertilization, tree pruning, planting and growth monitoring and ideotification of stands ready for harvest. Without the technology, managers would not have the data to make intelligent decisions and management operations would be much more subjective.

The total impact of the technology on sustainable development for a country as a whole, however, is more difficult to assess. We know from the examples observed that in the areas covered by these projects observed there is a substantial impact. What we don't know is what percentage of the total development efforts of a country is affected by these projects. Many of the projects observed are relatively small in geographic scope--a river basin or an agricultural development scheme--and need to be expanded throughout their respective countries to have a real impact on development. On balance, however, there is sufficient evidence oflong-term benefits that countries can proceed with confidence that investments in the technology will be justified.

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Cotinz • 47

An assessment of the status ofthe African Remote Sensing Programme Economic Commission for Africa

6.2 The Overlapping and Interrelated Remote Sensing Network

Since the introduction of satellite technology for resource assessment in the early I 970s many new remote sensing organizations have been formed and remote sensing sections have been added to many existing organizations. Some organizations-the ECA-sponsored regional centres--were furmed specifically to foster the utilization of remote sensing technology. Others--CILSS, SADC and IGADD--were formed to combat a specific threat in their sub-regions such as drought or to support general development. As a measure of the importance of remote sensing and related technologies in supporting food security and general development, all three of the above organizations are, or will be, supporting remote sensing institutions. As described in Chapter 4, CILSS has supported the development of the Agrhymet Centre in Niamey to provide CILSS countries with climatic data and drought early warning. to strengthen food security. IGADD, which also has a strong mandate in the area of early warning and food security, needs the technological capability for monitoring weather and desertification conditions. Hopefully it will utilize the existing capabilities ofRCSSMRS rather than to develop yet another organization. SADC also has a centre for the analysis and disbursement of climatological data.

Within and between these two groups are several areas of overlap. Many of the countries which are member states ofCILSS, SADC or IGADD are also financially supporting member states of one or more of the three ECA-sponsored regional remote sensing centres. Also the existing remote sensing and weather monitoring centreS, Including Agrhymet and ACMAD, provide technical services and training in geographic areas which overlap and draw financial support from countries which may be supporting two or three centres. CRTO was developed after RECTAS and their catchment area of member states overlaps. Agrhymet is active in the same region with some of the same member states and has expanded its operation to include training in remote sensing and GIS. IGADD has been considering the development of another regional remote sensing centre in the area that RCSSMRS considers its region. Tanzania, which is a member state ofRCSSMRS, appears to be considered in the regions of both IGADD and SADe. RCSSMRS presently draws much of its support from the Southern African states but now there are proponents of an expanded remote sensing center in the SADC region. Several countries have, or are considering developing, national

2nd Draft Report by Merrill Cotinz • 48

· U'\ assessment of the status of the African Remote Sensing Programme Economic Commission tor Africa

centres including some that are already hosting regional centres.

This does not necessarily suggest that a number ofinstitutions should be eliminated. There is not sufficient evidence of excess training and technical assistance capacity in the region to justifY closing some of the existing centres but it does suggest that there may be opportunities for improved efficiency in the allocation of resources for remote sensing and related technologies. Several countries are in the catchment areas of two or more centres and this is clearly a situation which could be improved by mergers of organizations andlor reconfiguration of the centres to avoid duplication of services offered. In its study on the "Rationalization and Harmonization of ECA-Sponsored Institutions," (Section 4.8.2) ECA has proposed the merger of RECTAS and CRTO. Several countries are members of both centres and a merger would be a useful first step. However, the study should be reviewed to considers what role CRTO would play after the merger and whether ACMAD

This does not necessarily suggest that a number ofinstitutions should be eliminated. There is not sufficient evidence of excess training and technical assistance capacity in the region to justifY closing some of the existing centres but it does suggest that there may be opportunities for improved efficiency in the allocation of resources for remote sensing and related technologies. Several countries are in the catchment areas of two or more centres and this is clearly a situation which could be improved by mergers of organizations andlor reconfiguration of the centres to avoid duplication of services offered. In its study on the "Rationalization and Harmonization of ECA-Sponsored Institutions," (Section 4.8.2) ECA has proposed the merger of RECTAS and CRTO. Several countries are members of both centres and a merger would be a useful first step. However, the study should be reviewed to considers what role CRTO would play after the merger and whether ACMAD