GEOFORAFRI – Capacity Building & Access to Earth Observation Data for Forest Monitoring

GEOFORAFRI aimed to strengthen Earth Observation (EO) capacity in Central and West African countries by improving access to satellite data and building institutional expertise in forest monitoring. The project supported national governments and research institutions in developing independent capabilities for land-use and land-cover change detection, contributing to sustainable forest management and emerging REDD+ reporting requirements.

By combining hardware and software deployment, methodological development, and technical training, GEOFORAFRI enhanced national capacities to use EO tools for consistent forest cover mapping and carbon-related reporting. The initiative also promoted regional collaboration and knowledge exchange among African EO stakeholders.

Key Contributions & Impact

• Provided hardware and software for satellite-based land-use and forest monitoring
  • Delivered capacity-building and technical training for national EO institutions
  • Facilitated access to satellite imagery and processing tools for forest change detection
  • Developed methodologies for consistent forest cover mapping and MRV systems
  • Supported national reporting under REDD+ and international climate frameworks
  • Promoted regional collaboration among African Earth Observation stakeholders
  • Strengthened integration of EO data into policy and decision-making processes