Research activities
Our research addresses global environmental challenges through advances in remote sensing, agroecology, and environmental modelling. We focus on agro-sylvo-pastoral systems (rangelands), with a multi-scale perspective.
We integrate research findings into applied practice by collaborating with farmers/herders, communities, institutions, and decision-makers to develop accessible, usable, inclusive, and effective solutions and tools.
Our interdisciplinary approach combines qualitative and quantitative field-based ecological and socio-economic surveys with advanced remote sensing techniques, process-based modelling, and data analytics. This enables us to characterize and map the spatio-temporal dynamics of agroecosystems, deepen understanding of key ecosystem processes, and examine their interactions with human societies.
Agro-ecosystem Monitoring and Management
We explore advances in proximal and earth observation data to support digital agricultural practices, agroecosystems monitoring and adaptive management from farm to regional scales. We aim at contributing to global food security and sustainable farming throughout close collaborations with local farmers/pastoralists, local and national institutions, and private sector actors.
Approach: RS-based (hyper and multispectral imaging), process-based modelling, field surveys.
Agro-climatic Risk & Socio-ecological Resilience
We support early warning systems and climate risk financing solutions based on earth observation data and forecasting models to support the early assessment and early response to catastrophic climatic events, mitigating their socio-economic impacts. We are actively involved in parametric insurance initiatives in East African drylands and collaborate with national risk management authorities toward more resilient rural communities.
Approaches: Earth Observation, Spatio-temporal time series analysis, Risk modeling, Insurance index design
Environmental Change and Global Health
We contribute to public health initiatives supporting One Health studies. We aim to better understanding the relationship between agro-ecosystem management, biodiversity and human health at landscape-level. Our research focuses on developing geospatial models for host/vector habitat suitability mapping, habitat/livestock/human interfaces characterization, and quantifying the social-ecological risk of emergent vector-borne dieseases.
Approaches: Speceis distribution modeling, Land use mapping, Spatial epidemiology, Movement ecology
Land Use Planning, Conservation and Restoration
We develop tools and decision support systems for territorial management and land use planning, and support the assessment and adoption of agroecological practices, contributing to research and implementation projects aimed at improving environmental monitoring, agroecosystems management, and natural resources conservation.
Approaches: Process-based modelling, Land use mapping, Participatory approaches, Landscape digital twins, Ecosystem services evaluation
