Africover Eastern Africa

The Eastern Africa module is the first operational component of the Africover Project; it was formulated to meet several African countries request for assistance in the set-up of reliable and georeferenced data-bases on natural resources. It is part of FAO assistance to the Nile Basin countries.

Africover Eastern Africa foresees the creation of a multi purpose Africover digital data base (MADE) for each of the 10 countries who joined the Project to provide the spatial data and the capacities to respond to the information needs for sustainable natural resource management and sound decision making at national, regional and global level.

The Project has been operational in the period 1995-2002 and was signed by ten countries:

- Burundi
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Kenya
- Rwanda
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda

In this new wide-ranging agreement, AFRICOVER will contribute its data-bases and its know-how developed so far to produce user friendly models for supporting decision makers in planning and management of sustainable development.

Goals, objectives and expected outputs

The development goal of the project is to strengthen the capabilities of East African and Riparian Nile countries for sustainable planning and management of natural resources, by producing reliable land cover data bases and strengthening the national capacities in operational applications of remote sensing.

Immediate objectives

• Produce a regional assessment of East Africa land cover as a basis for regional and national level planning and decision making, preparing satellite interpreted land cover data bases of the whole of East Africa
  
• Develop a network of local personnel trained in the utilization of remote sensing and GIS technologies for land cover inventory and monitoring
  
• Develop a policy and mechanisms for data dissemination in joint cooperation with the national focal points established through the project support

Expected results

• National and regional multipurpose AFRICOVER Database for Environment (MADE) produced
  
• A set of tools and methodologies for multipurpose land cover mapping developed
  
• National and regional management and planning improved, including socioeconomic and environmental analysis in support of sustainable development and environmental monitoring related to international conventions and initiatives
  
• National level institutions strengthened, including capacity building and stakeholders involvement through the planning and implementation of operational activities, mainly at the sub-national level

Mapped area: 8.5 million Km2

Countries covered: 10

Landsat Scenes used: more than 400

Unit mapping cost: 1.1 USD/Km2

Project budget: 9.270.000 USD

Period of activity: 1995-2002

Executed by and for national experts

The only existing regional mapping project that is specifically set up to provide a solution for the lack of basic and homogeneous information on natural resources at a detailed level.

As the first operational module of the Africover project, development of most of the normative aspects and operational tools.

Highlights on present results

7 Country data bases completed and delivered:

- Burundi
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Kenya
- Rwanda
- Somalia
- Tanzania

Software developed:

- LCCS
- GeoVIS
- AIMs

National Officers trained: 49

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Country participation : the key to sustainability

The Countries joining the Project have designed a National Focal Point Institution (NFPI) that are direct partners of Africover in:

- the development of the national digital database (MADE)

- the management, update and distribution of the MADE according to the Guidelines for Custodianship

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