EO AFRICA R&D Research Projects 2023-2024 – Awarded Proposals:
EO AFRICA R&D Research Projects 2023-2024
Following the successful Call for Research Proposals 2022-2023, the EO AFRICA R&D Facility, in coordination with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the African Union Commission (AUC), launched in September 2022 a 2nd call for proposals. The aim of this call is to extend the support to African-European collaborative research efforts in the domain of EO applications. Similar to the 1st call, applicants were invited to submit their research ideas to create EO-based algorithms and workflows by leveraging cutting-edge cloud-based data access and computing infrastructure to tackle water scarcity and food security challenges in Africa.
This grant provides the selected proposals with 25,000 EUR for research activities during a period of 12 months. In addition, awarded projects will get free access to cloud-based Virtual Research Environments through the Innovation Lab of the Facility, dedicated user and technical support, access to EO AFRICA Space Academy events, and integration into the EO AFRICA Network for international scientific collaboration.
Following the evaluation of the proposals by the Selection Committee in collaboration with ESA and AUC, 17 research projects (listed below) were awarded for funding from 11 African and 9 European countries.
Funded Projects:
| Title | Countries | Col Pls |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | BIG data archetypes for crops from EO | South Africa United Kingdom |
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elhadi Adam Prof. Dr. Philip Lewis |
| 2. | Advances in deep learning model for irrigated agricultural area mapping: the case of Upper Awash Basin, Ethiopia | Ethiopia United Kingdom |
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Berhan Gessesse Awoke Dr. Alireza Taravat |
| 3. | Fodder quality assessment in Senegalese rangelands based on Sentinel-2 images | Senegal France |
Dr. Diouf Abdoul Aziz Dr. Leroux Louise |
| 4. | Leveraging inland radar altimetry over rivers with low cost GNSS reflectometry | Uganda The Netherlands |
Zeleke Kelebew Challa Assist. Prof. Dr. Ing. Roelof Rietbroek |
| 5. | Riverine flood and crop monitoring and assessment using cloud computing and earth observation: case of Comoe Catchment, Côte D’Ivoire | Côte D’Ivoire France |
Dr. Jean Homian Dahumah Dr. Andrew Ogilvie |
| 6. | Using high spatial and temporal resolution data for monitoring wheat and rice crop agronomic variables for smallholder agriculture in the Nile Delta, Egypt | Egypt Spain |
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Abd El Fattah El Baroudy Prof. Dr. Belen Franch |
| 7. | Remote sensing and modelling to assess crop-specific response to climate stressors | Kenya Germany |
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hussein Farah Dr. Gohar Ghazaryan |
| 8. | Monitoring and assessment of dry biomass in the Sahel rangelands using satellite images | Niger Belgium |
Dr. Issa Garba Dr. Roel van Hoolst |
| 9. | Cloud computing for seasonal cropland monitoring in degraded Shilansha catchment, Ethiopia Rift Valley Basin | Ethiopia The Netherlands |
Assefa Gedle Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tom Rientjes |
| 10. | Forest disturbance detection by means of radar and optical remote sensing data fusion and artificial intelligence | Nigeria Poland |
Dr. Femi Emmanuel Ikuemonisan Prof. Dr. Kamila Pawluszek-Filipiak |
| 11. | Mapping and monitoring spatiotemporal desertification patterns in the steppic belt of Algeria | Algeria The Netherlands |
Prof. Dr. Mejdi Kaddour Assist. Prof. Dr. Mahdi Khodadadzadeh |
| 12. | A composite drought indicator for the Borana rangelands in Ethiopia combining multi-source Earth Observation data and the three-source balance model: a support to the index-based insurance for pastoralists in Ethiopia | Ethiopia Spain |
Dr. Getachew Mehabie Mulualem Dr. Vicente Burchard Levine |
| 13. | Application of remote sensing data to support pests monitoring and agriculture statistics in Rwanda | Rwanda Hungary |
Prof. Dr. François Xavier Naramabuye Dr. Vince Láng |
| 14. | Save the Faleme River: use of EO data for monitoring water pollution and scarcity due to anthropic activities | Senegal France |
Dr. Ngom Ndeye Marame Dr. David Baratoux |
| 15. | Olive trees health and yield prediction through EO data and machine learning | Morocco Hungary |
Prof. Dr. Aicha Rochi Assist. Prof. Dr. Judit Pál-Schreiner |
| 16. | Exploring aquatic weed coexistence using Sentinel-2 satellite data for informed aquatic weeds management for inland waterbodies | South Africa The Netherlands |
Dr. Cletah Shoko Assist. Prof. Dr. Marloes Penning de Vries |
| 17. | Space-based and geospatial technology for disaster risk reduction: flood monitoring and prediction in Amibara, Afar, Ethiopia | Ethiopia Italy |
Dr. Gizachew Kabite Wedajo Prof. Dr. Paolo Gamba |
