NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA and USAID Bring Earth-Observation Benefits to Africa

SERVIR-Africa multispectral imagery of the Nzoia River basin in Kenya. Image Credit: NASA/EO-1

NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and their international partners cut the ribbon Friday in Nairobi, Kenya, for SERVIR-Africa. The SERVIR-Africa system integrates the satellite resources of the United States and other countries into a Web-based Earth information system. This effort puts previously inaccessible information into the hands of local scientists, government leaders and communities to help address concerns related to natural disasters, disease outbreaks, biodiversity and climate change.

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The SERVIR initiative integrates satellite observations, ground-based data and forecast models to monitor and forecast environmental changes and to improve response to natural disasters. SERVIR enables scientists, educators, project managers and policy implementers to better respond to a range of issues including disaster management, agricultural development, biodiversity conservation and climate change. Endorsed by governments of Central America and Africa and principally supported by NASA and the US Agency of International Development (USAID), a strong emphasis is placed on partnerships to fortify the availability of searchable and viewable earth observations, measurements, animations, and analysis. A SERVIR coordination office and rapid prototyping facility is located at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Regional SERVIR nodes are located at the Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) in Panama and the Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) based in Kenya.