EAMNet: Europe Africa Marine-EO Network

1. EAMNet: Europe Africa Marine-EO Network Steve Groom, PML

2. EAMNet Overview • EAMNet is a Coordination and Support Action project part financed by the European Commission (1M€ over three years) • Started in 2010, ends June 2013 • Pan African (not just sub-Saharan) • PML, UK (coordinator) EAMNet partner New GNC system

3. Overall Aim and Objectives of EAMNet To construct a network linking Earth Observation information providers, user networks and centres of excellence in Europe and Africa in the area of coastal and marine observations Specific objectives • To improve access to marine EO data, increase data exchange and encourage increased use of EO • To develop long-term sustainable approaches to capacity building and maintenancein marine Earth Observation • To support development of Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Africa as a contribution to a worldwide observation system • To create a forum for African engagement in GMES Africa

4. Achieving the Objectives: Capacity Continuum Coordinating R&D; Implementing in Africaresults from GMES R&D Dissemination: Website / Newsletters External liaison Engagement in GMES R&D Targeted fellowships Attend AARSE conferences Open fellowships Installation of GEONETCast Systems; web portal Development of African training materials Improve accessto GMES data GMES data, services research Lecture in professional training courses Master's level EO course in Africa Example data Postgraduate/ New to RS Centre of Excellence Mid-career scientists Expertise in Africa

5. Links to GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan • SB-01 Oceans and Society: Blue Planet • C1 Global Ocean Information Coordination and Access • Promote the implementation of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)…….. • Provide advanced training in ocean observations and services, especially for personnel from developing countries and economies in transition, through a series of fellowship schemes, pilot projects (e.g. …. EAMNet) • C2 Operational Systems for Monitoring of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems • Promote the Chlorophyll Global Integrated Network (ChloroGIN)…

6. Links to GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan • SB-01 Oceans and Society: Blue Planet • C4 Applications of Earth Observations and Information to Sustainable Fishery and Aquaculture Management • Accelerate the assimilation of Earth observation into fisheries research and ecosystem based fisheries management …. • Relating fish catch to the 24ºC isotherm from EO data off the coasts of Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana

7. Links to GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan • IN-04 GEOSS Communication Networks • C2 GEONETCast • Further develop GEONETCast…. disseminating data and products across all Societal Benefit Areas • Expand interaction with networks of users in developing countries to improve access to data in areas with limited data accessibility…. • Build capacity for using GEONETcast information, particularly in developing countries. • IN-05 GEOSS Design and Interoperability

8. Results: 1) Data • Web based catalogue shows data available for Africa: • existing GMES/Eumetsat and produced specifically by EAMNet

9. EAMNet data • EAMNet provides data complementary to MyOcean / OSI-SAF • ocean colour and sea-surface temperature coverage of the entire African coast at 1km resolution: PML (MyOcean processor) + UCT • Additional areas & bespoke products for the African Monitoring for Environment and Sustainable Development (AMESD) project • High resolution lake coverage started with MERIS 300m data (for Ugandan receiving station on Lake Victoria) AMESD EAMNet User survey on data required

10. Low-cost GEONETCast Reception Station Setup • Aimed to establish 5 new low-costGEONETCast receiving stations • Provide access to data where the internet is limited • Training on receiving stations completed • Installation problematic due to a combination of • technical issues, • import bureaucracy and • civil unrest in some countries • Lesson learnt: need much more time to install systems New GNC system

11. Results 2) Capacity building & maintenance in EO • Training survey • Still a need for specialist remote sensing training • Addressed in EAMNet • Key requirement is on high level computer programming • Follow-on projects (e.g. GMES and Africa) should consider specific courses in programming A = No experience E = Remote sensing expert A = No experience E = Expert programmer

12. MSc Course • Marine EO MSc course module developed • Lectures available freely on the EAMNet website • http://www.eamnet.eu/cms/?q=node/99

13. Regional training courses • MSc course module used in: • Joint EAMNet / Nansen- Tutu Centre African Operational Oceanography Workshop, June 2011 in Univ. Cape Town, South Africa • West African training courses 19 – 30 March 2012 and 11 -22 March 2013 University of Ghana, Accra • University of dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania regional course, August 2012 • JRC/EAMNet Satellite oceanography course in November 2012, in parallel with AARSE 2012 and annual EAMNet meeting, El Jadida, Morocco • A total of 90 students (~20 female) trained using a consistent EO course Training courses

14. Results 3) Develop GOOS Africa…. • Fellowships between EAMNet partners, either Africa to Africa or Africa to Europe and • Open fellowships from any African marine institute / university to visit any African or European host • 16 open fellowships in total duringthe project from North, South, West and East Africa • 12 partner fellowships (so far) • Lesson: fellowships good atstarting links, coordinating R&D • Some fellows were at the AARSE2012 conference Morocco, and….

15. Open Fellowship: Success Story • EAMNet fellow, Dr Lazare Akpetou, Cote d’Ivoire won best presentation (out of 100) at the AARSE2012 conference, Nov 2012 • Work based on phenologyof phytoplankton bloomsin the Gulf of Guinea • Relevant to GEO Blue Planet C4 Applications of Earth Observations and Information to Sustainable Fishery and Aquaculture Management.

16. Targeted Fellowship • Investigated software, like GeoServer, products like OpenLayers, that communicate using standard Open Geospatial Consortium protocols like WMS (Web Mapping Service) and WFS (Web Feature Service) • Relevant to IN-05 GEOSS Design and Interoperability Andy Rabagliati, U Cape Town

17. Conclusions: EAMNet Legacy • High resolution (1km) data produced over all African regions • A specific Masters course at UCT, UDSM, UG + other universities • ~90 trainees from a wide range of African countries using GMES data • Enhanced bi-lateral R&D, contacts etc between African Centres of Excellence and between Africa and Europe • 16 fellowships + ~15 project fellowships • 5 new GEONETCast systems: Still problematic • A regular marine science presence at AARSE • Engagement with national coastal monitoring agencies • Contributions to the development of GOOS-Africa and marine science in GMES Africa • Contributions to GEO work plan tasks

18. Conclusions • EAMNet has made contributions to development of a marine and coastal network in Africa • Also relevant experience for GMES and Africa • Additional data needed to complement MyOcean/OSI-SAF • most commonly used (ocean colour and SST) • Low cost receiving stations necessarily have much longer installation period, alternative models should be explored • On-going need for EO training: M.Sc. Module produced and freely available but need for more computing training • 3 month fellowships give momentum to capability building at PhD/postdoc level • EAMNet finishes in 2013 • Aim to keep some tasks going • Network of trainees • Seek to maintain the network with new funding

19. Thank you www.eamnet.eu sbg@pml.ac.uk