Applications of space sciences for the development of Africa

Africa is a booming continent characterized by the dynamism of a youth at the heart of innovation and creativity. Africa is moving in all sectors thanks to technological innovations. Digital technology is changing the face of Africa because in all sectors there are digital applications and products and services from space science.

Satellite observation has become a privileged tool for providing the necessary information on the territories, at different scales. But the low number of operational services on the African continent testifies to operational difficulties.

These difficulties are of a technical nature (capacity to access and process images, adaptation of methods to local conditions, integration of local know-how, etc.), economic (cost of the equipment necessary for image processing) and organizational ( culture of spatial information, training, management of information flow, synergy between actors, sustainability of partnerships, etc.).

Our presentation will focus on the challenges and difficulties of space technologies in Africa. We will also share some of our application experiences in Senegal.