30th April, 2026
By Peace Ahovi
In a continued demonstration of its commitment to excellence in climate education and regional capacity development, WASCAL facilitated a field visit for its Batch Five (5) students of the Master Research Programme in Informatics for Climate Change hosted at Université Joseph KI-ZERBO under the supervision of Professor Amadé Ouédraogo to the “Institut Géographique du Burkina (IGB)”.
The visit formed a core component of the Spatial Data Infrastructure course and provided students with invaluable exposure to the operational realities of geospatial data systems in West Africa. Through direct engagement with IGB experts, students gained deeper insight into how spatial data is collected, processed, and transformed into critical tools for national development planning.
As Burkina Faso’s national mapping authority, IGB plays a strategic role in supporting land management, infrastructure development, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and security operations. The students experienced firsthand how geographic data moves from acquisition, using advanced technologies such as drones and aerial surveys, to processing, cartographic production, and eventual dissemination to users.
A key highlight of the visit was the presentation of IGB’s innovative Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) monitoring platform, developed using ArcGIS Online. The platform demonstrates how geospatial technologies are increasingly central to tracking development progress and informing evidence-based policy decisions.
Beyond technical learning, the visit reinforced WASCAL’s role as a driving force for bridging academic knowledge with real-world application across West Africa. It also inspired strong interest among students to pursue future research collaboration and professional engagement within national institutions.
This initiative stands as a clear example of WASCAL’s dedication to nurturing the next generation of African experts equipped to address climate challenges through data-driven solutions.
