Remote sensing for resources development and environmental management: Remote sensing for resources development and environmental management

Damen, M. C. J.

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Multivolume work

Persistent identifier:: 856342815

Title:: Remote sensing for resources development and environmental management

Sub title:: proceedings of the 7th international Symposium, Enschede, 25 - 29 August 1986

Year of publication:: 1986

Place of publication:: Rotterdam; Boston

Publisher of the original:: A. A. Balkema

Identifier (digital):: 856342815

Language:: English

Additional Notes:: Volume 1-3 erschienen von 1986-1988

Editor:: Damen, M. C. J.

Document type:: Multivolume work

Volume

Persistent identifier:: 856343064

Title:: Remote sensing for resources development and environmental management

Sub title:: proceedings of the 7th international Symposium, Enschede, 25 - 29 August 1986

Scope:: XV, 547 Seiten

Year of publication:: 1986

Place of publication:: Rotterdam; Boston

Publisher of the original:: A. A. Balkema

Identifier (digital):: 856343064

Illustration:: Illustrationen, Diagramme

Signature of the source:: ZS 312(26,7,1)

Language:: English

Usage licence:: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Editor:: Damen, M. C. J.

Publisher of the digital copy:: Technische Informationsbibliothek Hannover

Place of publication of the digital copy:: Hannover

Year of publication of the original:: 2016

Document type:: Volume

Collection:: Earth sciences

Chapter

Title:: 4 Renewable resources in rural areas: Vegetation, forestry, agriculture, soil survey, land and water use. Chairman: J. Besenicar, Liaisons: M. Molenaar, Th. A. de Boer

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Chapter

Title:: Contribution of remote sensing to food security and early warning systems in drought affected countries in Africa. Abdishakour A. Gulaid

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

80 r CLEAR RIVER WATER TURBID RIVER WATER VEGETATION SILTY CLAY SOIL MUCK SOIL Figure 3. A rain-fed and sparsely planted maize field in Somalia in the GU - Season. Figure 2. Spectral reflectance of various earth surface features (Hoffer, Lindenlaub 1976). spectral reflectances are strongly influenced by the surrou nding soil. 3 LIVESTOCK MONITORING The role of livestock sector for the national economy in many of the drought affected countries is enormously important. In Somalia, for example, livestock production provides over 50 percent of the gross domestic product and around 80 percent of the export earnings. The application of remote sensing to livestock monitori ng was mainly confined to the census of the animal population. The method used was mainly aerial photography with small cameras mounted on low-flying light aircraft, and a simultaneous counting from plane, combined with an eventual field check. A wide experience has been collected in the wildlife monitoring in Eastern Africa (Gwynne, Croze 1980). In view of the ecological deterioration, which is a dynamic process, it has been realized that it is essential to monitor the rate of change in the pastureland or the rangeland to take necessary precautions. The causes of this ecological deterioration are due to the increase of animal population, the irregularity or the absence of rainfall, and the abuse of the renewable resources such as the deforestation processes. Rangeland monitoring today is winning a great deal of attention in many countries, where livestock rearing plays a dominant role in the rural population. Some of the variables that are needed here are the vegetation or grass distribution, the available water resources, both surface and underground, and the animal and human influence in the rangelands. Due to the fact that multitemporal data of the environmental imagery is available, the ecological monitoring with this relatively new source of data is increasing. Several studies such as (Tucker,Hielkma,Roffey 1985) were made, investigating the potential of satellite remote sensing for ecological monitoring using LANDSAT and NOAA data. The results were quite promising. 4 DROUGHT MONITORING In order to obtain information on the regions susceptible to drought emergencies, it is necessary to set up a mechanism for collecting an immediate and reliable data on the irregularities in climate such as the delay or the absence of the seasonal rainfall so as to mobilize appropriate measures. These measures are being carried out at various levels, namely, the international, regional, and national. Some of these activities, in which remote sensing is used will be described briefly. 4.1 International The international drought monitoring programmes have the advantage that the world public could be effectively informed. The FAO has, for example, established a global information and early warning system to provide prior notice of the potential food shortages in many developing countries, particularly in the African countries, that are imminent to drought emergencies. Information derived from satellite imagery is today an essential complement to the information supplied by the FAO representatives based on field information, and the concerned countries. The main activities of FAO in drought monitoring programmes by means of satellite remote sensing cover two parts (Kalensky 1984): - The estimation of precipitation from METEOSAT images (fig. 4). - The monitoring of vegetation greenness based on NOAA/AVHRR data. The FAO in cooperation with NASA is setting up a drought monitoring programme by means of the NOAA/AVHRR vegetation index data. Colour composite images processed at NASA are delivered to the FAO for interpretation. It is reported that relatively good results were obtained. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in cooperation with NOAA/NESDIS is conducting a three year pilot project on "Climate Impact Assessment" for the Sahel Countries, including Ethiopia and Somalia. The main objective of this project is to increase the capability of these countries in providing information on the probable crop failures and the subsequent food crises. The input for this programme are, among others, the rainfall analysis and the vegetation condition based on NOAA/AVHRR imagery. A monthly assessment is made for each country . The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has installed a Global Monitoring System (GEMS). Though this system has a global character, particular regional problems such as the drought monitoring in Africa are given an important attention. The activities here comprise the observation in the variation of climate, soil, flora and fauna, and influence of human beings in the region. Apart from the governmental and none-governmental reports, GEMS retrieves its information input from satellite imagery and aerial photography in combination with ground surveys for statistical sampling and verification purposes. 4.2 Regional Realizing that the causes and effects of the recurrent droughts are not only confined to the national boundaries, a set of regional intergovernmental organizations emerged since the first drought in 1973/74. The latest organization that has been founded is the Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) in Eastern Africa, whose headquarters will be in Djibouti. The aims of this organization are among others the urging of the member states to allocate a major part of the national resources to emergency programmes for drought stricken areas and combat the causes of drought and desertification using the existing information and technology. The Regional Remote Sensing Centres in Nairobi and Ougadougu could be of great value in training the staff of the member countries and participating in the research and application projects, 459

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