A South African approach for using remotely sensed data to influence policy decisions

The government of South Africa has identified areas prioritized for rural development referred to as development nodes. Each node is a focal area identified for the implementation of the Integrated Rural Development falling under the government´s Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Program (ISRDP). The concept of nodal development is based on spatial targeting, where resources are directed to selected areas in response to identified development problems and opportunities. A remote sensing approach was adopted to assess the state and condition of natural resources (soil and vegetation) in one Presidential development node. Physical observations and assessment of the natural resource conditions were also undertaken on selected sites. An NDVI time series for a growing season (1 year) was calculated from SPOT VEG, MODIS and NOAA-AVHRR images to assess the vegetation growth pattern within a season and observe the associated changes. A Landsat ETM derived bare soil index was also calculated to classify degraded areas and to differentiate them from vegetated areas. Results demonstrate in the context of South African rural development that remote sensing is an important tool for natural resource management. A growth pattern reflected in the time series analysis provides important information, which reflects variations in the status of vegetation growth. Map showing degraded areas indicate areas of priority for land resource management. Remote sensing provides cost-effective methods for monitoring the conditions of natural resources over extensive areas, in order to inform decision making in resource management processes. Satellite images covers a broader area, which helps in analyses and audit of natural resources in areas identified for development. The outcome of such analyses directly influences the policies for rural development based on the interpretation of the satellite images.