ISNET Newsletter - Dec 2012 - Inter Islamic Network on Space ...

<strong>Dec</strong>ember <strong>2012</strong><strong>ISNET</strong>NEWSVolume 29Highlights<strong>ISNET</strong>/NARSS Training Course onApplications of Satellite RadarTechnology in Development; 29Jan - 3 Feb <strong>2012</strong>; Cairo, EgyptTraining Course on Spatial<strong>Dec</strong>ision Support System; 27 Feb- 2 Mar <strong>2012</strong>; Karachi, PakistanWorkshop on GeomagneticObservatories and theirApplications; 3-13 Apr <strong>2012</strong>;Islamabad, Pakistan<strong>ISNET</strong>/CSE Workshop onApplications of Space Technologyfor Food Security; 9-14 Jul <strong>2012</strong>;Dakar, Senegal<strong>ISNET</strong> Train the Trainer (TTT)ProgrammeEditorial<strong>Inter</strong>-<strong>Islamic</strong> <strong>Network</strong> on Space Sciences &Technology (<strong>ISNET</strong>) organised a range ofseminars, conferences and training coursesin the year <strong>2012</strong>. <strong>ISNET</strong>, in collaborationwith Centre de Suivi Ecologique of Senegal(CSE) and OIC Ministerial StandingCommittee on Scientific & TechnologicalCooperation (COMSTECH), organisedits annual workshop under the themeApplications of Space Technology for FoodSecurity in July at Dakar, Senegal. Thiswas generously co-sponsored by <strong>Islamic</strong>Development Bank (IDB). Ninth GoverningBody Meeting (GBM) of <strong>ISNET</strong>, previouslyscheduled in conjunction with the annualworkshop, was held in September in Lahore,Pakistan. Senior officials from Egypt, Iran,Iraq, Senegal, Sudan and Turkey attendedthe Meeting.<strong>ISNET</strong> collaborated with Pakistan Space &Upper Atmosphere Research Commission(SUPARCO), Institute of Space Technology(IST), Pakistan, National Authority forRemote Sensing and Space Sciences ofEgypt (NARSS), Oman AstronomicalSociety (OAS) and Centre de SuiviEcologique of Senegal (CSE) and sponsoredparticipants from as many as 15 memberand non-member OIC states to organiseand conduct two conferences, one seminarand five training courses. Under <strong>ISNET</strong>Train The Trainer (TTT) programme, atrainee from Remote Sensing Authority(RSA) was sent to ITC, Netherlands toundertake short course on Natural HazardsModelling and Risk Assessment.In the year 2013, SUPARCO is organisinga Training Course on Remote SensingApplications for Land Administration from14 to 18 January and Advanced Training inRemote Sensing & GIS from 25 Februaryto 8 March 2013 in Karachi, Pakistan. Atraining course on Spatial <strong>Dec</strong>ision SupportSystem (SDSS) is also being organised atNational Centre for Remote Sensing andGeoinformatics (NCRG) from 8 to 12April in Karachi, Pakistan. As in the past,scientists and researchers from <strong>ISNET</strong>member countries will be sponsored toattend these courses. We would also besharing details of our 2013 Annual Eventwhich is planned to be held in Tehran,Iran. The dates along with other details ofthe event shall be announced soon.<strong>ISNET</strong> SecretariatSUPARCO Headquarters, Suparco Road, P.O. Box 8402, Karachi-75270, PakistanTel: 0092 21 34694939, 34654473, Fax: 0092 21 34644928, 34694941Email: admin@isnet.org.pk | Website: www.isnet.org.pk | Facebook: www.facebook.com/OIC<strong>ISNET</strong><strong>ISNET</strong>NEWS

EVENT ROUNDUP<strong>ISNET</strong> sponsored the following participants to attend the workshop:• Dr Behrooz Oskooi from Institute of Geophysics of theUniversity of Tehran, Iran• Mr Koorosh Rokni from the Iranian Space Agency (ISA), Iran• Ms Saadiyah Hasan Halos, Ms Bushra Mohammed Ibrahim,Mr Najm Abdulzahra Radhi from Space EnvironmentDepartment, Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), Iraq• Mr Razzaq Abdul Mannan, Mr Muhammad Minhas Choudaryfrom Centre of Excellence in Mineralogy, University ofBalochistan, Pakistan<strong>ISNET</strong>/CSE Workshop on Applications of Space Technology for Food Security; 9-14 Jul<strong>2012</strong>; Dakar, Senegal<strong>Inter</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> <strong>Network</strong> on Space Sciences & Technology (<strong>ISNET</strong>),in collaboration with Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) ofSenegal, with advisory support of Ministerial Standing Committeefor Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) ofthe Organisation of <strong>Islamic</strong> Cooperation (OIC) and generous cosponsorshipof <strong>Islamic</strong> Development Bank (IDB), held a 6-day<strong>ISNET</strong>/CSE Workshop on Applications of Space Technologyfor Food Security, from 9 to 14 July <strong>2012</strong> in Dakar, Senegal. Theevent was held at Cheikh Anta DIOP University and King FhadPalace Hotel.bilateral and multilateral projects in order to improve foodsecurity. Chief Guest of the ceremony, H.E. Mr. M. IsmailaDIOP, in his address, highlighted the role of space technologyand its applications for development of agriculture andconservation of natural resources. Appreciating the timelyorganisation of the Workshop, he said that similar eventsshould be held more frequently so that the vast disparity intechnological expertise and capacity among different countriesof the OIC region could be bridged. The deputy minister alsoappreciated both <strong>ISNET</strong> and CSE for organising the event andthanked IDB for its financial support. The opening ceremonywas duly publicised by electronic and press media.The Workshop had two parts: a two-day thematic seminar wasfollowed by four days of training course featuring lectures andhands-on exercises. The seminar centered on sharing of knowledgeand experience of, as well as deepening technical insight into modernpractices of managing and improving agricultural productivity toimprove food security using space technology. It also served toupdate researchers and scientists from OIC countries on satelliteenabledmethodologies currently being employed in order to bringabout positive changes in agricultural crop yield and productivitythereby improving regional food security. The training course,however, aimed at building capacity and developing capability inthe applications of Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) technology forcrop monitoring and yield estimation.The event began with an inauguration ceremony presidedby H.E. Mr. M. Ismaila DIOP, Deputy Minister of Ecologyand Protection of Nature of the Republic of Senegal. DrAssize TOURE, Director General CSE delivered the welcomeaddress. In his address, Dr TOURE sought to establish nexusbetween the activities of CSE and objectives of <strong>ISNET</strong>. MrAhmed Bilal, President <strong>ISNET</strong> and Chairman SUPARCO,also delivered a speech in which he stressed upon the needfor member states to connect with one another, establishmeaningful cooperation and collaboration, and undertake<strong>ISNET</strong>NEWSThe seminar session of the workshop began with a keynoteaddress by Mr Arshad H Siraj, Executive Director <strong>ISNET</strong>. Besidesmaking a strong case for enhancing inter-agency collaborationand strengthening international cooperation in the use ofSatellite Remote Sensing (SRS) for agricultural applications, healso highlighted the crucial importance of food supply chainand its security for sustainable development in the OIC region.Country reports from representatives from Bangladesh, Pakistan,Sudan and Tunisia were also delivered during the session. The restof the opening day as well as the second day were dedicated toscientific and technical presentations by researchers, engineers andtechnologists from participating OIC member countries whichincluded Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Niger,Pakistan, Senegal, Sudan and Tunisia. The presentations comprisedfive distinct themes: agricultural landuse; crop identification andmonitoring; production area and yield estimation; soil and landagro-meteorological data; and damage assessment. A specialproject presentation was also delivered by Mr Malick DIAGNEof CSE titled, ‘Africa Risk View: The African Risk Capacity - APan African Risk Pool for Climate Risk’.At the end of the two-day seminar that featured twenty-threepresentations, recommendations of the seminar were discussed.Appreciating the synoptic coverage of the remotely-senseddata and GIS capabilities as highly useful, it was recommendedthat Geo-information-based tools should be developed for foodsecurity monitoring. Besides, considering the effectiveness ofgeospatial technologies to address issues related to food insecurity,it was recommended that efforts must be made to create andpromote the awareness of usefulness of such technologies amongpolicy- and decision-makers in <strong>ISNET</strong> member states. Owing tothe fact that water resource management and food security aredeeply interlinked, it was recommended that <strong>ISNET</strong> must alsohold a seminar or workshop which addressed both these issuesholistically.

EVENT ROUNDUPThe following three days were devoted to training and hands-on exercises on the application of Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) for cropmonitoring and yield estimation. The training course was conducted by Prof Dr Mobushir Riaz Khan, Assistant Professor at COMSATSInstitute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr Muhammad Hanif, Agriculture Consultant, Mr Ibrar ul Hassan Akhtar,Manager, and Mr Obaid ur Rehman, Assistant Manager at Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)also contributed to the training workshop. On the fourth and final day of the Workshop, an interactive session was held to finaliserecommendations. The participants, while appreciating the importance of ground-based surveys, noted that satellite-based hyper-temporalremote sensing for crop and agro-meteorological analysis and area frame development has immense potential in the generation ofaccurate, reliable and unbiased agricultural data.They unanimously recommended that <strong>ISNET</strong>should organise training courses on modernremote sensing techniques such as MicrowaveRemote Sensing; Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR); and Hyper-spectral Remote Sensing.<strong>ISNET</strong> Secretariat agreed to make concertedefforts to put together a basic level trainingcourse on Hyper-spectral remote sensing in an<strong>ISNET</strong> member state in near future.<strong>ISNET</strong> sponsored the following participants to attend the Workshop:• Mr Mozammel Haque Sarker from Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), Bangladesh• Ms Suraiya Begum from Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), Bangladesh• Mr Muhammad Bilal from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University• Mr Raheem Bani Falih from Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), Iraq• Dr Parviz Tarikhi from Iranian Space Agency (ISA), Iran• Mr Aymen Wadi Gwanmeh from Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre (RJGC), Jordan• Dr Terekhov Alexey from Kazakh Ecology and Climate Research Institute of the Ministry of Environment Protection, Kazakhstan• Mr Hazil Sardi Bin Soliano from Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (MRSA), Malaysia• Dr Idrissa Maiga from Center Regional AGRHYMET/ CILSS, Niger• Dr Mobushir Riaz Khan from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Pakistan• Mr Muhammad Ijaz from Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), Pakistan• Mr Ibrar ul Hassan Akhtar from Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan• Dr Muhammad Hanif from Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan• Mr Muhammad Jawad from Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan• Mr Obaid ur Rehman from Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan• Mr Muhammad Imran Ghafoor from PARC Institute of Advanced Studies in Agriculture of NARC, Pakistan• Mr Shahid Parvez from University of the Punjab, Pakistan• Dr Abbas El Hag from Remote Sensing Authority (RSA), Sudan• Mr Abdelrahim Abdelmutalib Mohamed Salih from Remote Sensing Authority (RSA), Sudan• Dr Amna Ahmed Hamid from Remote Sensing Authority (RSA), Sudan• Dr Gualbert DOREGO from Institut Senegalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA), Senegal• Mr Mr Malick DIAGNE from Centre de Suivi Ecologique, Senegal• Mr Mouhammadou Bamba DIOP from Centre de Suivi Ecologique, Senegal• Mr Ndeye Maguette Dieng from University Chiekh Anta Diop, Senegal• Ms Shahinda Abdelrahman Yahya from Remote Sensing Authority (RSA), Sudan• Dr Yahya Hasan Al-Tayeb from Remote Sensing Authority (RSA), Sudan• Ms Talhaoui Wafa from Centre National de la Cartographie et de la Télédétection (CNCT), Tunisia<strong>ISNET</strong>NEWS

GBM ROUNDUPNinth Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of <strong>ISNET</strong>; 21 Sep <strong>2012</strong>; Lahore, PakistanThe <strong>Inter</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> <strong>Network</strong> on Space Sciences & Technology (<strong>ISNET</strong>) held its Ninth biennial Governing Body Meeting (GBM) on21 September <strong>2012</strong> in Lahore, Pakistan. The Meeting was chaired by President <strong>ISNET</strong> Mr Ahmed Bilal who is also Chairman ofPakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). The meeting was attended by the following officials fromCOMSTECH, focal point organisations and <strong>ISNET</strong> Secretariat:Mr Mujeeb ur Rehman | MemberDirector AccountsOrganisation of <strong>Islamic</strong> Cooperationand Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH)Prof Dr Talaat Ramadan | MemberChairmanMineral Resources DepartmentNational Authority for Remote Sensing& Space Sciences (NARSS), EgyptDr Mohsen Shaterzadeh | MemberDeputy PresidentIranian Space Agency (ISA)<strong>Islamic</strong> Republic of IranMr Hadi Vaezi | MemberTechnical DeputyNational Cartographic Center (NCC)<strong>Islamic</strong> Republic of IranThe Meeting began with a statement from the Chair in which hereiterated his views that the <strong>Network</strong> was an inter-governmentalforum and highlighted the need for increased coordinationand cooperation among member countries on matters specificto peaceful uses of outer space. The Chair also extended warmwelcome to Egypt, the latest member of <strong>ISNET</strong>. Delegates frommember countries made statements and approved the agendaof the Meeting which included, inter alia, Activity Report by theExecutive Director <strong>ISNET</strong>; Expansion of Membership; Ways andMeans of Promoting and Expanding the Scope of the <strong>Network</strong>’sActivities; and Application for Permanent Observer Status withthe United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space(UN COPUOS). Also on the agenda were the approval of <strong>ISNET</strong>annual budget for the biennium 2013-14 and confirmation of itsaudit reports for the period CY 2010-11.The Governing Body (GB) appreciated the progress made by the<strong>Network</strong> in the past two years. It also unanimously pre-approvedthe membership of Jordan and Oman, if these two countrieswere to formally apply for membership before the next GBM. Itsupported the proposal submitted by the Secretariat to offer visitto non-<strong>ISNET</strong>-member OIC countries to make presentations andhold meetings with heads of space organisations and urge them tobecome members. The GB also agreed to increase the publicity of<strong>ISNET</strong> and its activities with the objective to foster new linkageswith space-related organisations and educational institutions in OIC<strong>ISNET</strong>NEWSDr Samir S Mohammed Raouf | MemberDeputy Federal MinisterMinistry of Science & Technology (MoST), IraqMr Oumar SARR | MemberCentre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE), SenegalDr Yahya Hassan Al-Tayeb | MemberEquivalent Assistant Professor ResearcherRemote Sensing Authority (RSA), SudanMr Sadik Murat YUKSEL | MemberChief Senior ResearcherResearch Council of Turkey (TUBITAK UZAY), TurkeyMr Arshad Siraj | Executive DirectorExecutive Director <strong>ISNET</strong>Mr Abdullah Jamil Khan | RapporteurAdministrator <strong>ISNET</strong>member countries. Different views were expressed as to the waysand means of enriching the array of the activities held under theauspices of <strong>ISNET</strong>. The distinguished delegates collectively agreedto initiate tangible near-term joint projects, and tasked <strong>ISNET</strong>Secretariat to devise an effective working mechanism in this respect.Keeping in view the achievements made by the <strong>Network</strong> in the recentpast, members of the GB pledged to support the proposal to doublemembership contributions. With a view to acquaint as many <strong>Islamic</strong>countries with the mandate, objectives and programme elementsof <strong>ISNET</strong>, the GB also approved the <strong>Network</strong>’s application forpermanent observer status with the UN COPUOS.<strong>Islamic</strong> Republic of Iran proposed to hold the Tenth GBM inTehran in 2014 while Turkey offered to host an <strong>ISNET</strong> meeting inAnkara at TUBITAK UZAY.TRAINING ROUNDUPTraining Course on Disaster Management using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques;17-21 Sep <strong>2012</strong>; Islamabad, Pakistan<strong>ISNET</strong> offered sponsorship to participants from member countries to attend a training course on Disaster Management using RemoteSensing and GIS Techniques. The course was held from 17-21 September <strong>2012</strong> at the Institute of Space Technology (IST) in Islamabad.The course was based on the realisation of the developing countries’ vulnerability to various types of natural and anthropogenic disasterslike earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, cyclones, droughts, landslides, fog, air and water pollution etc, and that post-disaster satellite multitemporalcoverage could accrue significant benefits to response and recovery efforts. The aim of the course was to impart knowledgeand skills to various stakeholders in disaster management using Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) data and Geographic Information System(GIS) techniques through hands-on exercises on various application areas.

A number of lectures were delivered during the trainingcourse including one online lecture from a foreignexpert, Dr Sayedul H Choudhury, from the United Stateson “GIS-based Approach for Developing a HydraulicModel for Hunza River”. Other topics included overviewof disaster management in Pakistan; introduction tosatellite systems and their applications; crop damageassessment through space; flood monitoring anddamage assessment; landslide susceptibility mapping;aerosol pollution source identification, EQ/Tsunamirisk analysis; simulation modelling of Atabad Lakeoutburst; WebGIS and Crowd Sourcing (VGI) forclimate change impacts and disaster Mitigation.<strong>ISNET</strong> sponsored the following to attend the training course:Mr Malick DIAGNE from Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE), SenegalMs Warqaa Thabit Khaleel from Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), IraqMs Afraa Abdulkhaleq Ali from Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), IraqMs Aymen Khari Yaseen from Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), IraqAmong the other decisions taken at the Eighth Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of <strong>ISNET</strong>,one was to seek ways to broaden the scope of activities of the network in the face ofinnovative capacity-building initiatives. It was to this effect that a decision was made to rollout a training scheme titled, “Train The Trainer (TTT) Programme”.Discussing the human resource development needs with respective heads in its focal pointorganisations, <strong>ISNET</strong> identified available training courses at AIT in Thailand and ITC in TheNetherlands. As a result, nominations were sought in later half of January 2011. Nomineeswere evaluated by a scientific committee instituted by <strong>ISNET</strong>.Nominations were received from Pakistan, Senegal and Sudan, namely:• Mr Syed Faisal Hussain Kazmi, SUPARCO, Pakistan;• Mr Hatim Elobied Nuh, RSA, Sudan;• Mr Ousmane Bathiery, CSE, SenegalTRAINING ROUNDUPTRAIN THE TRAINER (TTT) PROGRAMMEMr Syed Faisal Hussain Kazmi from Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere ResearchCommission (SUPARCO) was the first to be sent on the training. He took a six-weeklongtraining course titled, “Scenario Development, Spatial Planning Support Systems andCollaborative <strong>Dec</strong>ision Support” at ITC, Netherlands from 6 June - 15 July 2011. SUPARCOheld a training course on Spatial <strong>Dec</strong>ision Support System (SDSS) from 27 Feb - 2 Mar <strong>2012</strong>which was conducted by Mr Faisal Kazmi.Mr Hatim Elobied Nuh has recently concluded a short course at ITC on “Natural HazardsModelling and Risk Assessment” in Netherlands from 5 Mar - 4 May <strong>2012</strong>. <strong>ISNET</strong> fullysponsored the trainee viz tuition fee, round-trip air ticket, and daily allowance.FORTHCOMING EVENTS<strong>ISNET</strong>/SUPARCO Training Course on Remote Sensing Applications to LandAdministration; 14-18 Jan 2013; Karachi, Pakistan<strong>ISNET</strong> in collaboration with Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) is holding a week-long TrainingCourse on Remote Sensing Applications to Land Administration starting from 14 Jan 2013 at the National Centre for Remote Sensingand Geoinformatics (NCRG) in Karachi, Pakistan.This course is developed to address the use of new technologies such as Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (RS&GIS)in land administration and management. It will help researchers and technologists create and maintain lands records in a manner mucheffective compared to conventional manual techniques generally practiced in developing countries. By introducing latest developments inthe field of RS&GIS, the five-day training course aims to further enrich the current process of satellite-enabled land administration.It is the first time that the <strong>Network</strong> has announced any course on satellite remote sensing applications for land administration. Researchofficials, surveyors, planners and agriculturists from leading national organisations are expected to attend making the event a forum forknowledge-sharing, networking and relationship-building.For more information, please visit: http://isnet.org.pk/pages/activities-2013-03.asp<strong>ISNET</strong>NEWS

FORTHCOMING EVENTS<strong>ISNET</strong>/SUPARCO Advanced Training Course in RS & GIS; 25 Feb - 8 Mar 2013; Karachi,Pakistan<strong>ISNET</strong> in collaboration with Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) is holding a two-weekAdvanced Training Course in Remote Sensing and GIS from 25 Feb-8 Feb 2013 at the National Centre for Remote Sensing andGeoinformatics (NCRG) in Karachi, Pakistan. The course is aimed at providing concepts and knowledge on the advanced techniquesbeing used in GIS development and applications. It will also cover topics relating to operationalisation of Remote sensing and GISin different discipline areas.Besides, the training course will also include lectures and hands-on exercises on:New developments in Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) and GIS Development of image processing algorithmsMultidisciplinary Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) applications Expert image classifierHyper-spectral Remote Sensing3D analysis in GISSpatial analysisCustomisation and automation in GISGIS Modeling; GIS application in vehicle trackingWeb GISFor more information, please visit: http://isnet.org.pk/pages/activities-2013-02.asp<strong>ISNET</strong> Co-sponsors UN/Pakistan Workshop on Integrated Use of Space Technologies forFood and Water Security; 11-15 Mar 2013; Islamabad, PakistanThe United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) and the Government of Pakistan are jointly organising UN/PakistanWorkshop on Integrated Use of Space Technologies for Food and Water Security to promote the use of space technologies for the benefitsof developing countries.The Workshop will be held in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 11 to 15 March 2013, hosted by the Pakistan Space and Upper AtmosphereResearch Commission (SUPARCO) on behalf of the Government of Pakistan and Co-sponsored by the <strong>Inter</strong>-<strong>Islamic</strong> <strong>Network</strong> on SpaceSciences and Technology (<strong>ISNET</strong>).It will explore how present-day space technologies help to identify and monitor the relationships between mountain environment (as asource of water), sustainable water resources and how these collectively affect food security on an international and regional scale. It willtherefore also link to the context of the Rio+20 Summit <strong>Dec</strong>laration and to the evolving United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda.The Workshop will be composed of a series of technical presentations with sufficient time set aside for discussions. Technical sessions willbe followed by open discussions, which will focus on specific topics of interest and will provide additional opportunities for participantsto voice their opinions.The programme shall address the following topics:• Applications of space technologies that provide cost-effective solutions and essential information for planning and implementationof programmes or projects to enhance management and protection of water resources• Use of space-related technologies in mitigating water-related emergencies, providing safe access to water and combatingdesertification• Use of space technologies for food security research and early warning• Use of space technologies for improved sustainable agriculture practices, and in the development of precision farming• Capacity building in water management and food security research, including development of human resources, establishing technicalinfrastructures and legal frameworks, and access to financial resources• Education and training required for various target groups on using space technologies for addressing water- or food-related challenges,as well as public awareness initiatives in this area• <strong>Inter</strong>national, regional and national initiatives and international and inter-regional cooperation in the domain of water- or foodsecurity• Case-studies on successful applications of space technologies for enhancing water resources management and improving food securityin developing countriesWhereas, the discussions shall consider ways of expanding the use of space technologies and information/data for better water resourcesmanagement and food security, as well as identify priority areas where pilot projects could be launched, and will examine prospectivepartnerships that could be established.The Workshop will be attended by decision-makers, technical experts, researchers and academicians drawn from international, regional,national and local institutions, academic institutions, multi-lateral and bi-lateral development agencies, non-governmental organisations(NGOs) and also from private industry. Experts and professionals from both space-related, water management and food security researchinstitutions will also be invited, providing an opportunity to exchange experiences and strengthen networks and partnerships that willcontribute to the increased use of space technology-based solutions for water and food security.For more details, please visit:<strong>ISNET</strong>NEWShttp://www.isnet.org.pk/http://www.oosa.unvienna.org/oosa/en/SAP/act2013/pakistan/index.html