The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing of ISRO, UN-SPIDER, UNESCAP and UNU.
A total of 27 participants from 17 countries were participating in the course.
The overall objective of this international training course was to strengthen the capacity of participants in understanding how space-based information, services and solutions can be used to reduce disaster risks and losses. The participants were exposed to relevant space-based geoinformation (remote sensing, GIS, satellite positioning systems) and communication technologies and their synergies with modeling techniques that can be used in different phases of disaster risk reduction (DRR) for a variety of hazards. The course consisted of five modules including an overview of disaster risk reduction, an overview of space technologies for disaster risk reduction, the application of space technologies to this context and a short project.
Experts from Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS) and the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
Some 25 participants from DPC/MINETAD and representatives various other ministries and universities attended the training. In addition, 7 participants from other Central Africa states (Burundi, Congo, DR Congo, Gabon) participated.
The training was conducted in French language using software donated by Esri (ArcGIS 10 French) and the ILWIS Academic version. The group had access to recent very high resolution Quickbird sample images over hotspots in Cameroon, courtesy of Digital Globe, Inc. The training covered basic elements of remote sensing, GIS basics and simple data extraction and geo-referencing techniques, accompanied by various presentations and visual material on use of remote sensing for disaster management.