Research & Impact
I develop methods to get the most information from satellite data and hydrology, especially in parts of sub-Saharan Africa where data is limited.
Doctoral Research - PhD in Remote Sensing of Irrigated Agriculture

Wageningen University (2019-2024)

My PhD focused on mapping and monitoring irrigated agriculture in smallholder farming systems. The problem is that many irrigated areas in sub-Saharan Africa aren’t officially recorded, making it hard for governments and development organizations to understand how much water is being used for agriculture.

What I worked on:

  • Using satellite imagery to identify and map irrigation systems
  • Developing methods that work in regions with limited ground data
  • Providing evidence for water resource planning and agricultural policy

Output:

  • PhD Thesis: “Mapping irrigated agriculture” -
  • Supervised by: Prof. Dr. Charlotte de Fraiture, Dr. Ir. Gert Jan Veldwisch, Dr. Ir. Poolad Karimi
  • Related publications on mapping irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa
Research Publications

My research focuses on using satellite imagery to map irrigation, track land use change, and monitor the environment. These publications help us understand smallholder farming systems and improve how we monitor agriculture using satellite data.

Find my publications at:

  • — List of published papers and citations
  • — Researcher identifier with links to my work
  • — Research and case studies from our work
Saterra Labs - Research and Practical Work

Within Resilience BV | Working in Sub-Saharan Africa

Saterra Labs is a team within Resilience BV that takes research methods and applies them to real-world problems. We combine satellite imagery, hydrology, and field evidence to help development programs understand their landscapes.

What we focus on:

💧 Water Resources & Hydrology

  • Assessing water availability in regions with limited data
  • Modeling hydrology and estimating groundwater
  • Monitoring lakes and rivers with satellite imagery
  • Mapping potential areas for irrigation

🌳 Environmental Monitoring

  • Tracking forest cover and deforestation
  • Detecting hotspots of change
  • Analyzing how land use is changing
  • Documenting environmental problems

🌾 Agriculture & Water

  • Mapping smallholder irrigation systems
  • Assessing which land is suitable for agriculture
  • Helping farmers understand their irrigation systems
  • Supporting food security work with satellite data

Learn more: