Remote Sensing Technology; A Tool for Monitoring Environmental Degradation in West Africa

Abstract

The environmental problems facing Saharan and sub-Saharan countries - rapid growth of population. seasonal food shortages. malnutrition, poverty. land degradation, drought and accelerated desertification etc tire widespread and challenging. the fundamental causes of environmental degradation and accelerated desertification are known, include overgrazing. over-cultivation, gelatinization. collection and commercial logging. unsustainable farming methods. increased poverty etc, the areas affected by desertification 110 the severity of the problem remain a guess work because of luck of effective monitoring systems. This paper focuses on remote sensing technology in an interactive and alternative tool to conventional survey techniques for monitoring environmental degradation and desertification in Sahara and Sub-Sahara Africa It looks at the potential of sensing and its various application in resource inventory and land use planning.