United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) is offering training to Ethiopian experts on how to use information gathered from satellites to detect impending droughts.
Ethiopia has been enduring its worst drought in decades. The adverse weather conditions brought about by El Niño has led to two consecutive rainy seasons failing. Harvests have yielded little and water sources have continue to dry.
The training which was organized on Thursday by the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute in collaboration with the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER)
The day-long event attracted researchers and experts, including State Minister of Innovation and Technology, Dr Ahmedin Mohammed.
In his remark, Dr Ahmedin said scientists, researchers and policy makers in countries like Ethiopia, where the problem is worsening from time to time, are required to work jointly to detect impending droughts.
Participants of the forum are discussing research papers presented on topics related to the cause of droughts and how to tackle them.
According to the UN Global Report on Food Crises 2018, climate-related shocks were the main drivers of food insecurity in 23 countries in 2017, affecting more than 39 million people.
Drought was the most common of those climate-related contributors.
Meteorological and environment-monitoring satellites provide a range of data that can be used to help detect the signs of drought. Observations can be used for weather forecasting, measuring the water levels in lakes and rivers and giving information about vegetation cover, as just a few examples.
MG/abj/APA