By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Ghana has highlighted the
growing role of satellite data in monitoring water resources and supporting
environmental and development planning during the Space4Water Conference held
at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP) in France.
Joseph Bremang Tandoh,
Director of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI),
participated in a panel discussion titled “How Space Helps Science Better
Understand the Water Cycle,” alongside Benoit Nigon, Giriraj Amarnath, Prof.
Christoff Andermann and Dr Kristel Chanard.
During the discussion,
Tandoh shared Ghana’s experience in using satellite observations to support
rainfall and flood monitoring, agricultural planning, hydropower development,
water-quality assessment and the protection of the country’s water bodies.
He said the value of
satellite observations extends beyond the collection of scientific data when
they are converted into practical information that can support decision-making
and help protect lives, livelihoods and natural resources.
The conference was hosted at
IPGP, a leading centre for geoscience research and higher education and a
constituent institution of Université Paris Cité.
The Space4Water Conference
provided a platform for experts and institutions to examine how space-based
technologies can contribute to a better understanding of the water cycle and
support responses to water-related challenges.
Tandoh expressed
appreciation to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the
French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), IPGP and the French Embassy in
Ghana for supporting the platform for scientific exchange and international collaboration.
