EWALD Project: Workshop on Monitoring Land Degradation in Morocco

The workshop on monitoring land degradation using QGIS and Google Earth Engine took place between February 10 and 13, 2025, at the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques of Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Morocco. Part of the EWALD (Earth Observation for Early Warning of Land Degradation at European Frontier) project, coordinated by Lusófona University and funded by the European Union, the event brought together experts and researchers from various international institutions, including project partners, to discuss innovative methodologies in the use of remote sensing and geospatial analysis in monitoring land degradation. Deep Tech Lab (*) staff took part in the workshop, representing Lusófona University.

The program began on February 10 with presentations on the opportunities and challenges of remote sensing of soil degradation, led by Sophia Hueffmeier, and on the importance of monitoring for the Sustainable Development Goals, presented by Nikhil Raghuvanshi. On the 11th, participants had the opportunity to apply the concepts presented in practice, through a practical session on QGIS and Google Earth Engine, led by Hanna Guehmann.

On February 12 and 13, the workshop culminated in a field trip to the Ouarzazate region, where participants were able to directly observe the impacts of soil degradation and apply the methodologies discussed during the event. This experience allowed for a more in-depth analysis of the local reality and the exchange of knowledge between researchers, reinforcing international cooperation within the framework of the EWALD project.

The event highlighted the importance of using advanced technologies in environmental monitoring and reinforced the need for scientific collaboration to tackle the global challenges of soil degradation.

(*) - In attendance was Svitlana Lyubchyk, lecturer on the Master's Degree in EGI/Lusófona and RCM2+ researcher.