The GMES & Africa is currently being implemented in at least 45 African countries with a focus on the continent’s water & natural resources, as well as its marine and coastal areas.
One of the consortia implementing the project in West Africa is dealing with forecasting of physical and biological oceanographic variables, information on ocean processes that impact fishing, and safety of fishes. It has been working on solutions to provide effective analyses, daily and seasonal forecasts, as well as raise public awareness on the critical role of Earth observation in sustainable development. It is also utilising a GMES and Africa marine and coastal areas web portal deployed for West Africa.
Led by the University of Ghana’s Regional Marine Centre, its other partners include: Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Centre Universitaire De Recherche d’Application en Télédétection of Côte d’Ivoire, Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Bénin, Centre for Oceanographic Research of Dakar-Thiaroye in Senegal, Ghana Meteorological Agency, National Institute for Fisheries Development of Cape Verde, and Wetlands International Africa (based in Senegal).
The consortia work aim to provide five operational services including:
- Provision of potential fishing zone charts overlaid with vessel traffic
- Monitoring and forecasting oceanographic variables
- Forecast of ocean conditions disseminated as SMS alerts
- Generate coastal vulnerability indices and
- Mapping of coastal and ecosystem/ habitats.
Based on the progress being made on the project, the consortia recently announced that forecast of ocean conditions are now being disseminated through SMS alerts starting in Ghana as four (4) days forecast of ocean conditions are now accessible in the country through the USSD code: *920*88#.
The objective of the Action is to provide decision-makers with information and tools that would support effective marine and coastal resources management in western Africa. This is being achieved through delivering EO services that will enhance the formulation of marine, fisheries and environmental policies to support decision-making at the national and regional level.
Easy for fisherfolk to comprehend! @estonia_borga @KojoAB @eastsportsman @KpobiEli @KayOrKay
#safetyatSea https://t.co/oUcsFPjbhG pic.twitter.com/vx5nSduaS9— NiiBorketey (@nhii_adu) May 27, 2020
#SafetyatSea for Food Security in West Africa @GMESAfrica @UnivofGh @eumetsat_users @CMEMS_EU @UNAbjConvention @WetlandsAfrica @Alice_Aryeetey
To understand the need to use *920*88# to access Ocean state information just watch this videohttps://t.co/TFtYJ3o7mh pic.twitter.com/df6057QnNY
— Regional Marine Centre #uggmes #ugrmc (@ug_gmes) May 27, 2020
To learn more about the GMES project, read “Institutions From 45 African Countries Are Implementing Earth Observation Projects Through GMES & Africa“.
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