AIRCAS Holds Regional Training Workshop for Satellite Crop Monitoring Using the CropWatch System

ANSO CropWatch-ICP

31 08, 2023

The “Regional Training Workshop for Satellite Crop Monitoring using the CropWatch System” took place in Mauritius from 7 to 10 August, 2023. The workshop was jointly organized by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO), the Aerospace Information Research Institute, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) and the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI), Mauritius. Prof. Bingfang Wu and his team from AIRCAS offered the training. 26 officials and experts from national sponsored institutions of 11 countries participated the training, including Mauritius, Nigeria, Algeria, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Lebanon and Syria.

Prof. Chunli Bai, President of ANSO, Mrs. Leela Devi Dookun Luchoomun,Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Moheenee Nathoo, Senior Chief Executive at the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, Mr. Joyker Nayeck, Secretary for Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Regional Integration and International Trade, Ms. Shamika N. Sirimanne, Director of the Division of Technology and Logistics of UNCTAD, Ms. Lisa Simrique Singh, UN Resident Coordinator For Mauritius and Seychelles addressed the opening ceremony. Mr. Liying Zhu, Ambassador of P.R. China to the Republic of Mauritius, Ms. Micheline Seenevassen Pillay, FAREI CEO, Prof. S.K. Sobhee, Vice Chancellor University of Mauritius, and representatives of relevant United Nations agencies in Mauritius also attended the opening ceremony.

Prof. Chunli Bai, President of ANSO, expressed his pleasure in seeing the CropWatch-ICP project, initiated by ANSO, had now become an innovative program benefiting the Global South and truly hoped that this training would be another big success.

Welcome Address by Mr. Chunli Bai, ANSO President

Scene Photo of Opening Ceremony

Mrs. Leela Devi Dookun Luchoomun, Vice Prime Minister of Mauritius, considered this training workshop as an exceptional platform for mutual learning of knowledge and sharing of experiences among participants from different countries, and contributing to customized policy recommendations through discussions. It will also enable participants to harness the transformed potential of technologies in achieving sustainable agriculture goals through international cooperation and knowledge sharing.

Ms. Sirimanne said in her speech that this workshop marks the first time we have brought participants together for training in person since the COVID-19, with a higher-than-expected number of participants and countries joining the training. The CropWatch program has become a model of South-South cooperation. It focuses on long-term sustainable implementation by participating countries and represents a true transfer of knowledge and technology. Through demonstrating how a frontier technology can be highly relevant to address development problems, this program will surely serve as a shining example for future projects for years to come.

Group Photo of Opening Ceremony

Prof. Bingfang Wu, Principal Investigator of the CropWatch team from AIRCAS, introduced the background, objectives and expectations of the CropWath-ICP project, the progress and achievements so far, and the purpose and contents of the training workshop. He hopes that the participants from Africa and Middle East countries will be able to master and use the CropWatch cloud platform to carry out agricultural monitoring in their respective countries and regions, and benefit more stakeholders, so as to serve the national agricultural policies and food security, and promote to achieve the SDG goals.

Introduction to CropWatch-ICP Project by Prof. Wu Bingfang

During the training period, the Associate Professor Miao Zhang, Hongwei Zeng, Nana Yan, and the Assistant Professor Zonghan Ma from CropWatch team, together with the participating delegates from each country, conducted a training session. The contents include CropWatch technology (GVG ground observation, crop growth, crop area and yield), Crop Watch Cloud platform (data processing and indicator calculation, indicator querying, and agronomic country analysis) as well as the country's needs.

After four days of training and intensive tasks, the trainees from different countries had a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the CropWatch technology and platform. They also appreciated ANSO and UNCTAD for the opportunity to knowledge exchange and learning. The Nigerian delegates believe that CropWatch will not only benefit Nigeria, but also more African countries. Therefore, they are willing to organize regional CropWatch training to benefit more stakeholders. The Cameroonian delegate acknowledged the simplicity and eases of use of the GVG software, the functionality of the CropWatch platform, and hoped that the platform could be put into practice in Cameroon as soon as possible.

The Ground Survey Training using GVG

CropWatch Cloud System Training by CropWatch Team

During the closing ceremony on 10th August, Prof. Bingfang Wu made a summary report of the training workshop, and clarified the next steps of the work plan, the requirements and expectations for the participation of the demonstration countries. At the end of the conference, Prof. Bingfang Wu, together with Ms. Liping Zhang, Chief of Science, Technology and Innovation for development section, Technology and Logistics Division of UNCTAD, and Ms. Shuwen Xu, Project Officer of ANSO Secretariat, presented the CropWatch training certificates to all the trainees.

The Closing Ceremony of The Training Workshop

Source: Dr. Nana Yan, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences