IN CONVERSATION WITH Dr Zakariyyaa Oumar ON SCIENCE WISE

Dr. Oumar serves as the Research, Application and Development Manager at the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), where he leads and drives the development of space-based decision support tools and analytics that address pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges. He is an established researcher with numerous peer-reviewed publications and has led and contributed to high-impact collaborative projects with government departments and national stakeholders. Dr. Oumar has established himself as a leading expert in the application of Earth observation technologies and decision support systems for environmental monitoring and management. His expertise spans land cover mapping, vegetation dynamics, and ecosystem monitoring, with a strong emphasis on translating scientific research into operational, policy-relevant, and user-driven solutions. He advocates for the strategic use of Earth observation to underpin evidence-based decision-making and support the delivery of sustainable development outcomes across the African continent.