(SAR) to Support Agricultural Monitoring 2 - Group on Earth ...
(SAR) to Support Agricultural Monitoring 2 - Group on Earth ...
(SAR) to Support Agricultural Monitoring 2 - Group on Earth ...
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Internati<strong>on</strong>al GEO Workshop <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>SAR</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Support</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Agricultural</str<strong>on</strong>g> M<strong>on</strong>i<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ring<br />
2. Summary of Meeting Sessi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
2.1 Plenary and Keynote Addresses<br />
Ken Korporal of the CGEO Secretariat opened the workshop by welcoming the participants,<br />
which included more than 115 experts representing 30 countries and seven Canadian<br />
provinces. More than 75 people participated in the weekend training sessi<strong>on</strong> and field trips<br />
led by the Agriculture Canada, the University of Calgary and Parks Canada. He<br />
acknowledged the funding of sp<strong>on</strong>soring organizati<strong>on</strong>s, including the Canadian Internati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
Development Agency (CIDA) who funded 29 participants from developing countries, and<br />
additi<strong>on</strong>al funding <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> speakers from GOFC-GOLD (Global Observati<strong>on</strong> of Forest and Land<br />
Cover Dynamics), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Envir<strong>on</strong>ment Canada.<br />
Sherman Nels<strong>on</strong> of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) made welcoming remarks <strong>on</strong><br />
behalf of the Government of Canada. He stated that critical policy decisi<strong>on</strong>s need <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> be<br />
based <strong>on</strong> sound scientific informati<strong>on</strong>, and <strong>Earth</strong> Observati<strong>on</strong> (EO) has a key role in<br />
providing this. He challenged participants <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> find ways <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> increase the number of operati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
applicati<strong>on</strong>s that EO can provide sound scientific informati<strong>on</strong> for the policy community.<br />
Brenda Brindle of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development welcomed participants <strong>on</strong><br />
behalf of the Government of Alberta. The province exports $ 8 billi<strong>on</strong> (Can.) of agricultural<br />
products annually, and the growing populati<strong>on</strong> is putting pressure <strong>on</strong> agriculture. She<br />
emphasized that coordinated and relevant knowledge is key <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> good management decisi<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
and so m<strong>on</strong>i<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ring systems are needed.<br />
David Grimes, GEO Principal for Canada and Assistant Deputy Minister at Envir<strong>on</strong>ment<br />
Canada, gave a Canadian perspective of GEO and GEOSS (Global <strong>Earth</strong> Observati<strong>on</strong> System<br />
of Systems). The visi<strong>on</strong> of GEOSS is ‘To realize a future wherein decisi<strong>on</strong>s and acti<strong>on</strong>s for<br />
the benefit of humankind are informed by coordinated, comprehensive and sustained <strong>Earth</strong><br />
observati<strong>on</strong>s and informati<strong>on</strong>’. He provided an overview of GEO and GEOSS and a<br />
descripti<strong>on</strong> of some of the related work being d<strong>on</strong>e both in Canada and abroad.<br />
Anna Pacheco of AAFC presented the workshop overview, objectives and desired outcomes,<br />
opening with a quotati<strong>on</strong> from Dr. Robert H. Goddard: “It is difficult <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> say what is<br />
impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>day and the reality of <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>morrow.” She<br />
observed that the Agriculture community has not yet had a str<strong>on</strong>g and coordinated voice with<br />
respect <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> their EO requirements, and <strong>on</strong>ly through such coordinati<strong>on</strong> that the community can<br />
make the most effective use of existing resources, and influence the next generati<strong>on</strong> of<br />
technologies. She proposed that we must strive <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> get the technology and the methods that<br />
are proven in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> the hands of the broad agriculture community. This workshop with its<br />
various sessi<strong>on</strong>s will provide <strong>on</strong>e step <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>wards these goals.<br />
3