EWALD Project: Workshop on Monitoring Soil Degradation in Morocco

The workshop on monitoring land degradation using QGIS and Google Earth Engine took place from 10 to 13 February 2025 at the Faculty of Science and Technology of Cadi Ayyad University, in Marrakech, Morocco.

Organised within the scope of the EWALD project (Earth Observation for Early Warning of Land Degradation at the European Frontier), coordinated by Lusófona University, the event brought together specialists and researchers from various international institutions, including project consortium partners, to discuss innovative methodologies in the use of remote sensing and geospatial analysis for monitoring land degradation. The Deep Tech Lab team participated in the workshop on behalf of Lusófona University.

The programme began on 10 February with presentations on the opportunities and challenges of remote sensing for land degradation, led by Sophia Hueffmeier, and on the importance of monitoring for the Sustainable Development Goals, presented by Nikhil Raghuvanshi. On 11 February, participants engaged in a practical session, applying the concepts presented using QGIS and Google Earth Engine, under the guidance of Hanna Guehmann.

On 12 and 13 February, the workshop concluded with a field visit to the Ouarzazate region, where participants had the opportunity to observe first-hand the impacts of land degradation and apply the methodologies discussed throughout the event. This experience provided a deeper understanding of local environmental challenges and encouraged knowledge exchange among researchers, strengthening international cooperation within the EWALD project.

The event highlighted the importance of advanced technologies in environmental monitoring and reinforced the need for scientific collaboration to address global challenges related to land degradation.

Project financed by the European Union