Releases

The summary for decision-makers highlights the urgency of addressing land degradation in Africa, a problem affecting 65% of productive land and threatening ecosystem services, food security, the economy, and social stability. It calls for coordinated actions that integrate sustainable land management, including restoration, to prevent, reduce, and reverse this trend. The document proposes strategies based on local approaches and innovative solutions.

Water is essential for life on Earth as groundwater plays a crucial role in the supply of fresh water. Cooperation between nations is necessary to manage transboundary aquifers, particularly in  Africa where overexploitation and contamination threaten these resources. 

Partnership projects have been carried out, but more efforts are needed to establish strong governance frameworks and ensure equitable access to water while protecting the environment for current and future generations. 

North Africa has a naturally predominantly arid climate, characterized by a scarcity of renewable water resources, compromising the sub-region's sustainable development. The sub-region is also experiencing a strong drying-up trend and a reduction of available renewable water resources. At the same time, the total population of the area and the rate of urbanization are rapidly increasing, leading to high demand for water.

The accelerating land degradation in Africa is compromising the economic and social development of the countries and food security of a growing population. It is the result of multiple causes including climate change which brings extreme phenomena such as droughts  and flooding.

In addition, it is aggravated by anthropogenic factors,  such as agricultural practices, urban pressures, pollution, deforestation  and overexploitation of natural resources. According to the United  Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), 90% of land  will bear the mark of Man by 2050.

The year 2023 was marked by the Sahara and Sahel Observatory celebration of the world days of interest thanks to thematic articles written by its experts and disseminated on its website and its social networks. These articles aim to identify environmental issues in relation to the African context, popularize the various subjects covered and come up with recommendations likely to lead to solutions to the various challenges facing the continent. This collection aims to highlight these contributions and draw up an annual report on a wide range of environmental subjects.

Agriculture is a key contributor to food security and the economy in Africa. In a context of climate change and variability, accurate, early and spatially referenced agricultural information, has become vital for decision-making. Their production and dissemination is a real challenge that the  relevant authorities must take on in order to provide the various stakeholders (decision-makers, planners, researchers, producers, exporters, etc.) with reliable agricultural data and information. 

This document highlights the critical role of satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) in monitoring and managing natural resources, essential for sustainable development in the region.

Amid growing challenges such as climate variability, food security concerns, and land degradation, the GMES & Africa initiative aims to offer innovative solutions leveraging EO data and techniques. Through key operational services like MISBAR and MISLAND, the project provides valuable tools for:

Cette annexe technique, préparée par l’Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), vise à intégrer des mesures d’adaptation au changement climatique dans le Plan d’Aménagement et de Gestion (PAG) du Parc National de la Pendjari. Située dans le complexe transfrontalier W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP), cette aire protégée d’une grande richesse écologique subit de fortes pressions climatiques et anthropiques, menaçant la biodiversité et les moyens de subsistance des communautés locales.

Cette annexe technique, élaborée par l’Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), vise à intégrer des mesures d’adaptation au changement climatique dans le Plan d’Aménagement et de Gestion (PAG) de la Réserve de Biosphère Transfrontalière W au Niger. Située au cœur du complexe W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP), cette réserve constitue un écosystème clé pour la conservation de la biodiversité et la résilience des communautés locales.

Cette annexe technique, élaborée par l’Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), vise à intégrer des mesures d’adaptation au changement climatique dans la gestion de la réserve de biosphère transfrontalière W au Burkina Faso. Cette aire protégée, qui fait partie du complexe W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP), joue un rôle fondamental dans la conservation de la biodiversité régionale et dans la subsistance des communautés locales.

Cette annexe technique, élaborée par l’Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), vise à intégrer les mesures d’adaptation au changement climatique dans le Plan d’Aménagement et de Gestion (PAG) du Parc National d’Arly, une aire protégée clé du complexe transfrontalier W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP), partagé entre le Burkina Faso, le Bénin et le Niger.

Ce document, élaboré par l’Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), vise à intégrer les mesures d’adaptation au changement climatique dans le Plan d’Aménagement et de Gestion (PAG) de la Réserve de Biosphère Transfrontalière W au Bénin. Cette réserve, qui fait partie du complexe transfrontalier W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP), abrite une biodiversité unique mais reste particulièrement vulnérable aux effets du changement climatique.