WaterMap N-Africa Workshop Held in Tunisia to Enhance North Africa's Capacity for Water Resources and Agricultural Water Use Monitoring

The Technical Training Workshop on Monitoring and Assessment of Water Resources and Agricultural Water Use in North Africa was successfully held in Tunis, Tunisia, on October 27–28, 2025. The event was jointly organized by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) and the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), with support from the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO) research project. 

The workshop brought together more than 30 participants from research institutions and government agencies in Tunisia and Libya, specializing in remote sensing, agriculture, and water resources. It aimed to enhance regional capacity in monitoring and managing agricultural water resources in arid and semi-arid regions.

At the opening ceremony, Mr. Nabil Hamada, Director of Administration and Finance at OSS; Dr. Aïssa Hlaimi, Director General of Water Resources at Tunisia's Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources; and Prof. JIA Li from AIRCAS delivered welcome remarks. They emphasized that, as global water scarcity intensifies, it is crucial to strengthen the monitoring and efficient use of agricultural water resources for safeguarding food security and advancing sustainable development in North Africa.

Experts from the AIRCAS EOWater Team—including Prof. JIA Li, Associate Prof. ZHENG Chaolei, and Dr. JIANG Min—provided systematic training on key technologies such as remote sensing–based evapotranspiration monitoring, estimation of cropland water demand and productivity, and assessment of water use efficiency. Participants were introduced to the ETMonitor remote sensing evapotranspiration model and the WaterMap N-Africa Platform, a monitoring and analysis system developed by AIRCAS for water resources and agricultural water use assessment across North Africa. Through hands-on exercises, participants gained practical skills in interpreting multi-scale remote sensing products and information for precision water management via the WaterMap N-Africa platform. 

During the workshop, OSS Executive Secretary Mr. Nabil Ben Khatra met with the AIRCAS research team to discuss future collaboration in water resource monitoring, high-resolution remote sensing applications, and regional capacity building. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in scientific research, technology sharing, and institutional development, working together to promote the use of remote sensing and digital technologies for sustainable water management in North Africa and the Sahel.

The WaterMap N-Africa Platform is a core achievement of the ANSO joint research project "Monitoring and Assessment of Water Resources and Agricultural Water Use in North Africa". Built on satellite remote sensing and cloud computing technologies, it provides an integrated tool for water resource monitoring and decision support. Led by Prof. JIA Li, the project involves the joint participation of multiple scientific institutions across North Africa.

This training marked the first time that AIRCAS and OSS had cooperated in carrying out regional capacity-building activities. Not only did it effectively improve the professional level of remote sensing application and data analysis among the North African participants, it also facilitated the exchange of cross-field and cross-regional experience, laying a solid foundation for the sustainable utilization of water resources and the sustainable agricultural development in the region.

A group photo of the training participants. (Image by AIRCAS)

On-site guidance and interaction during the training session. (Image by AIRCAS)

A meeting between the OSS Executive Secretary and AIRCAS team. (Image by AIRCAS)

Interface of the WaterMap N-Africa Platform for monitoring agricultural water resources and water use in North Africa. (Image by AIRCAS)