BY NIZBERT MOYO The recently-established Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) says it will use satellite data to monitor harmful activities in the environment that threaten agricultural production and cause veldfires.
ZINGSA co-ordinator Painos Gweme told NewsDay that it would also use the data to monitor air pollution, water management and forest preservation.
“Through the earth observation programme, which basically deals with the collection and analysis of satellite data, ZINGSA will be able to monitor agriculture production, as well as activities harmful to the environment such as veldfires and illegal mining. Data from satellites can also be used to overcome various challenges related to air pollution, water management and forest preservation,” Gweme said.
“Satellite data can easily monitor environmental changes in Zimbabwe and beyond during or after disasters and droughts. It can mitigate the effects of climate change and the technology can be used to predict extreme weather events.”
Gweme said they were also working on installing lightning detectors in some parts of the country.
The organisation was established in 2018 and it collects and analyses satellite data.
In 2018, ZINGSA signed an agreement with South Africa’s space advisory firm for support with capacity building on satellite systems and how to run space programmes.
Follow us on Nizbert @N.M
