Remote Sensing and GIS In Climate Change, Food Security & Agriculture Course

Course Overview

The primary objective of this training on Remote Sensing and GIS in climate change, food security, and agriculture is to enhance the abilities of technical staff involved in food security analysis, water evaluation, and farming. By providing a comprehensive understanding of spatial and Earth Observation data, participants will learn to integrate information on climate change, agriculture, and food security in meaningful and innovative ways. This course empowers learners to utilize these tools for effective decision-making and strategic planning in their respective fields.

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

• Technical Staff: Professionals involved in food security analysis, water management, and agriculture.
• GIS Analysts: Individuals seeking to apply GIS in climate change and agriculture.
• Environmental Scientists: Researchers focused on understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
• Agricultural Planners: Those responsible for planning and implementing agricultural interventions.
• Policy Makers: Decision-makers involved in crafting policies related to climate change and food security.
• Students and Academics: Learners focusing on geography, environmental science, or agricultural studies.

Are you part of these groups and eager to enhance your skills in applying GIS and Remote Sensing to climate change and agriculture? This course is tailored for you!

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will:

• Understand the basic concepts of GIS and Remote Sensing.
• Apply GIS and RS for designing large-scale early warning systems.
• Use participatory GIS (PGIS) tools for assessments at the community level.
• Monitor select CCAFS indicators using remote sensing data and image processing techniques.
• Design and implement GIS projects that integrate remote sensing data and GPS-based field information.
• Assess spatial data availability and understand the importance of spatial data infrastructure (SDI) for data sharing among CCAFS organizations.
• Comprehend concepts and frameworks in Food Security, Climate Change, and Agriculture.
• Understand the relationship between climate change, agriculture, and food security.
• Utilize GIS and Remote Sensing as decision support tools for Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS).
• Plan food security interventions through spatial multi-criteria analysis using GIS information.

Course Outline

Component 1: Concepts

• Introduction to Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security: Explore their interrelations.
• GIS for Climate Change and Agriculture: Understand GIS and RS concepts in CCAFS.
• GIS Project Design and Setup: Learn project design principles.
• Sources of GIS Data for CCAFS: Identify and utilize relevant data sources.

Component 2: Basic Use of GIS Software

• Data Integration: Combine data from various sources into a GIS.
• GPS for Field Data Collection: Use handheld GPS for accurate data gathering.
• Geospatial Analysis for Agriculture and Food Security: Conduct detailed analyses.

Component 3: Remote Sensing in CCAFS

• Introduction to Remote Sensing: Learn foundational concepts and applications.
• Image Analysis Software: Use software for satellite image acquisition and interpretation.
• Image Classification and Change Detection: Identify changes and classify data.

Component 4: GIS in Climate Predictions

• Climate Predictions and Adaptation: Use GIS in climate prediction and response.
• Policy Frameworks: Understand international and national policies on climate change.

Component 5: GIS and Remote Sensing in Agriculture

• Yield Monitoring and Mapping: Utilize GIS for yield assessment.
• Soil Management: Characterize soil variability and manage it site-specifically.

Component 6: Assessment and Analysis

• Food Security Assessment: Use satellite imagery for detection and recovery.
• Vulnerability Visualization: Visualize impacts and assess food insecurity.

Component 7: GPS and Basic Skills

• GPS Configuration: Capture and integrate GPS data into GIS databases.

Component 8: Public Participatory GIS

• Community-Based Climate Predictions: Use participatory methods for data collection and climate prediction.
• Building Hazard-Aware Communities: Use GIS to enhance community readiness.

This course combines theoretical insights with practical applications to ensure participants gain the skills needed for effective use of GIS and Remote Sensing in addressing climate change, agriculture, and food security challenges.