Taita Taveta University, in partnership with the Kenya Space Agency and Expertise France, successfully hosted a Technical Working Week from 1st to 4th April 2025, setting the stage for the development of a groundbreaking modern Earth Observation & Innovation Laboratory.
Bringing together experts in geographic information technology in agriculture, business, marketing & communication, research, and innovation, the week-long session focused on leveraging Earth Observation (EO) technologies to address real-world challenges in Kenya and beyond. The initiative forms part of a long-term vision to make Taita Taveta University a regional hub for applied EO research and innovation.
During the workshop, the technical team pinpointed three strategic areas where EO technology can have the most impact and the project will focus on:
- Agriculture & Health: Using satellite data to monitor crop health, map disease hotspots, and support food security and environmental health surveillance.
- Urban Management: Supporting sustainable city management entrepreneurship through land use mapping, infrastructure tracking, and monitoring of informal settlements.
- Disaster Management: Enhancing disaster management systems for floods, droughts, and landslides—particularly relevant to the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) region.
Beyond identifying focus areas, the team collaboratively developed a comprehensive work plan and preliminary budget to guide the implementation of the EO lab. The plan outlines a phased approach covering training, project implementation, community engagement, and eventual scale-up.
There will establishment of a physical National Earth Observation & Innovation Lab (NEO-Inno Lab) at Taita Taveta University that will support universities, government institutions, non-governmental organization and community on GeoICT solutions and services.
This collaboration marks a significant step toward harnessing the power of space-based technology for local businesses development and resilience. With continued support and engagement, the EO & Innovation Lab is poised to become a transformative environment for research, decision-making, and community impact.
The Kenya Space Agency was presented by Mr. Matara Jacques, Major Kenneth Kanda and Mr. John Ngungi Muthami. Mr. Byron Anangwe represented Expertise France .
The Project Manager is Prof. Godfrey Makokha who shall oversee the execution of the project on behalf of Taita Taveta University management in collaboration with other departments.
Stay tuned for more updates as the journey unfolds!