Ethiopian Institute to Offer Free Access to High-Resolution Satellite Data

ADDIS ABABA — The Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute (SSGI) has made a significant move by announcing the availability of high-resolution satellite data at no cost to domestic stakeholders. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance resource management and disaster response capabilities within the country.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, Deputy Director-General of SSGI, the data, which encompasses detailed satellite imagery of Ethiopia, was acquired through a partnership with China’s Ministry of Natural Resources that began in April 2023. The comprehensive imagery comes from the Chinese Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Centre (LASAC) and is part of a five-year project aimed at supporting Ethiopia’s National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).

The announcement was made during a national workshop organized by the institute to increase awareness and usage of the high-resolution data among various sectors including agriculture, natural resource management, and disaster preparedness. Nigussie emphasized that the institute plans to distribute the data freely under provisional agreements that will soon be established with interested parties.

The data’s utility for managing natural phenomena such as floods and droughts was highlighted, considering these are frequent challenges in Ethiopia. Additionally, a recent workshop by SSGI identified key obstacles like data accessibility, skilled personnel shortage, and infrastructural deficiencies that need to be addressed to maximize the use of this satellite data.

In a related development, SSGI has also entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ethiopian Statistical Service to improve data sharing and integration, further bolstering the country’s data infrastructure.