Leveraging Satellite Imagery for Erosion Control in Madagascar
Satellite Earth observation is being used in Madagascar to monitor erosion control efforts by tracking fires, reforestation progress, and forest biomass to improve environmental planning and decision-making.
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Description
Earth Observation (EO) is being used in Madagascar to support erosion control and reforestation efforts under the Programme de Lutte Anti-Érosive (PLAE), funded by German Development Bank (KfW) and implemented with Malagasy authorities and international partners through the ESA GDA Fast EO Co-Financing Facility.
Madagascar faces severe environmental pressures, including widespread deforestation, frequent fires, and soil degradation. Traditional field monitoring alone is not sufficient at this scale, so satellite data, particularly Sentinel-2 imagery, PlanetScope data, and spaceborne LiDAR, is being used to track landscape changes more effectively and consistently.
Three main EO applications were developed: fire detection, reforestation monitoring, and biomass estimation. Fire mapping showed large and increasing burned areas between 2023 and 2024, while also revealing that reforested plots were generally less affected than surrounding land. Reforestation monitoring across hundreds of plots identified mixed outcomes, with some regions showing strong vegetation recovery and others limited or no growth, alongside signs of disturbance such as fire or land-use change. Biomass modelling across thousands of plantations indicated overall carbon stock gains in many areas, with detailed insights into tree growth, canopy height, and plantation structure.
Overall, the project shows how satellite monitoring can improve tracking of reforestation, fire risk, and biomass changes, helping decision-making and strengthening environmental management. It highlights the value of integrating Earth observation into long-term planning and climate finance systems.
Read more about this Case Study here: Using satellite images to support erosion control in Madagascar