GSSTI urges practical use of satellite data to drive national development

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Director of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI), Dr. Joseph Tandoh, has called for a shift from theoretical discussions to practical applications of satellite and Earth-observation data to enhance national development.

Dr. Tandoh made the remarks during the opening of a two-day multi-institutional stakeholder engagement organized by GSSTI of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission in collaboration with Digital Earth Africa (DE Africa) in Accra. The event brought together government agencies, private sector players, and development partners to explore how satellite data can support agriculture, mining regulation, disaster management, health, and environmental protection.

“The time has come to move beyond talk and deliver practical solutions that impact the daily lives of Ghanaians. Satellite data should not end on presentation slides. It must be applied to challenges such as agricultural productivity, flood and drought forecasting, coastal monitoring, land administration, and climate resilience,” Dr. Tandoh said. He emphasized that the call aligns with Ghana Space Policy, which identifies space science and Earth observation as strategic tools for national development and stresses the need for stronger coordination among government institutions, academia, and research bodies.

Dr. Tandoh added that GSSTI, as the national coordinating institution for space science activities, is committed to bridging the gap between satellite data access and computing infrastructure for institutions that need the data to generate actionable insights. “GSSTI cannot do this alone. We need all stakeholders—ministries, government agencies, academia, and the private sector—to work together and develop practical pilot projects that show real value,” he said.

Highlighting specific applications, Dr. Kofi Asare, Centre Manager of Remote Sensing and Climate Change, noted that satellite-derived indicators such as soil moisture and vegetation health now allow for precise detection of stress on farmland. “The farmer no longer needs to guess. We can identify the exact part of the field with a problem and direct interventions precisely where they are needed,” he said.

Dr. Asare also emphasized the use of satellite data in monitoring natural resources, particularly in mining-affected areas. “From sampled data between 2008 and 2024, nearly 60,000 hectares of land has been converted to mining; we can map it, monitor it, and quantify the impact using satellite data and Artificial Intelligence,” he explained. He further called for strengthened collaboration within Ghana’s Group on Earth Observations (GhanaGEO) community to maximize the benefits of Earth-observation technologies for national development.