On 21 May 2026, the KijaniSpace Talent Training Programme officially launched its first online training session for selected participants from across Africa.
The opening course introduced participants to the fundamentals of mapping, spatial data, cartography, coordinate systems, remote sensing, and modern GIS technologies. The session provided an important foundation for understanding how Earth Observation, satellite data, and spatial intelligence can support practical solutions in agriculture, environmental monitoring, climate resilience, and digital innovation.
The Talent Training Programme is part of the broader KijaniSpace initiative, which aims to strengthen Space-IoT innovation capacity, digital skills, and entrepreneurship by connecting Earth Observation technologies with local innovation ecosystems and real-world societal challenges.
The programme combines:
- Earth Observation and satellite applications
- GIS and spatial data analysis
- IoT technologies
- innovation and entrepreneurship
- collaborative problem-solving and hackathons
through expert-led online sessions and practical learning activities.
The first training session focused particularly on the fundamentals of mapping and spatial thinking, helping participants understand how geographic information is collected, visualised, interpreted, and applied in modern digital services and decision-making systems.
Participants also explored the evolution of mapping technologies — from historical cartography to modern satellite-based geospatial intelligence.
Participant Expectations and Motivation
Participants expressed strong enthusiasm about the opportunity to strengthen their technical and practical skills through the programme.
I look forward to improving my skills in geospatial technologies, IoT systems, and the practical use of satellite data to solve modern-day challenges in agriculture and environmental monitoring. I am especially excited about learning how IoT and GIS technologies can be integrated to create smart, data-driven solutions for real-world problems. I also expect to gain hands-on experience, expand my technical knowledge, and collaborate with colleagues from different disciplines, sharing ideas and building innovative solutions together.
Mr Brian Onzere, Kenya, Kisumu
The KijaniSpace Talent Training Programme will continue with weekly thematic sessions led by experts from different fields of Earth Observation, IoT, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship.
More information about the programme is available at:
KijaniSpace Talent Training Programme
