Luanda: The Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Media (MINTTICS) has rolled out a real-time monitoring tool designed to assist in policy formulation and decision-making to tackle the ongoing drought in southern Angola.
According to Angola Press News Agency, this innovative tool was developed by the National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN) in collaboration with the Space Enabled Research Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab. It is engineered to analyze human vulnerability and integrate socioeconomic and geographic data, which are critical in addressing the drought situation.
Mario Oliveira, Angola's Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Media, highlighted that the initiative aims to alleviate the severe impacts of the drought that has plagued the provinces of Cunene, Huila, and Namibe, affecting over 1.3 million people since 2015. These impacts include agricultural losses, water shortages, food insecurity, and significant socio-economic disruptions.
The Minister emphasized that the tool will be accessible to the public and relevant institutions, serving as a strategic resource to bolster the formulation of public policies, especially under climate emergency scenarios. It represents a commitment to innovation, technological sovereignty, and climate resilience through its utilization of processed spatial images and algorithmic decision-making.
In addition, the tool is expected to support other national projects across various sectors, including energy, water, environmental management, and health. Minister of Energy and Water, Joo Baptista Borges, acknowledged the tool's potential in enhancing water availability and accessibility in the drought-hit southern regions, aligning with the government's priority to combat drought.
Danielle Wood, director of the Space Enabled Research Group at MIT Media Lab, stated the project aims to provide an integrated solution by combining environmental data, socioeconomic analysis, and decision support tools into a single operational system. This effort, supported by a $550,000 NASA grant and involving over 25 Angolan experts, has resulted in the publication and presentation of more than eight scientific articles from 2019 to 2025.
