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Safeguarding Uganda’s Wetlands: Stakeholders Trained on Digital Earth Africa Platform
Wetlands have long been recognized as some of the most valuable yet fragile ecosystems in
Africa. They regulated water cycles, supported biodiversity, sustained livelihoods, and helped
mitigate the impacts of climate change. Yet, they continued to face mounting threats from urban
expansion, agriculture, pollution, and climate variability. To ensure their conservation and
sustainable use, accurate mapping and monitoring was essential.
From 11 to 12 September 2025, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development
(RCMRD), Regenar Development Initiative (RDI), in collaboration with the National
Environment Management Authority of Uganda (NEMA) and, convened a training workshop in
Kampala, Uganda, on wetlands inventory mapping using the Digital Earth Africa (DEA)
platform. The training brought together government officials, researchers, academics, and private
sector actors engaged in environmental and natural resources management, equipping them with
practical skills to monitor and manage wetlands more effectively.
At the centre of the initiative was the Digital Earth Africa platform, a powerful open-access
resource that provide free satellite data, analysis tools, and derived products tailored for Africa.
Participants were introduced to its wetlands inventory modules and engaged in hands-on
exercises within the DEA Sandbox. These sessions not only offered an overview of the
platform’s capabilities but also allowed participants to generate real-world wetland inventories
for sites such as Lake Naivasha and other locations of their choice.
The purpose of the workshop went beyond technical training. It sought to inspire a culture of
evidence-based decision-making by demonstrating how Earth observation technologies could
transform the way wetlands were mapped, monitored, and protected. By developing use cases
and exploring practical applications, participants left with both the knowledge and the
confidence to integrate these tools into their work.
Through this collaboration, RDI, NEMA, and RCMRD built the capacity needed to safeguard wetlands for future generations. The workshop reflected a shared commitment to harnessing digital innovation in support of conservation and sustainable development. As wetlands continued to face unprecedented pressure, the initiative was both timely and vital, offering professionals the resources to better understand and protect these critical ecosystems.
Authored by Gladys Mwangi
