Introductory Session: “JICA-JAXA Forest Early Warning System in the Tropics (JJ-FAST)” for Better Forest Management in the Congo Basin, under the Forest Governance Initiative, was held in Libreville, Gabon, on July 20, 2017 at the MRV CONGO BASIN WEEK.

The seminar, held at the Gabonese Space Agency (AGEOS), was attended by more than 50 participants from 10 COMIFAC countries and their partner organizations. After a series of presentations including JJ-FAST demonstration by representatives from JICA, JAXA, and JAFTA, participants actively participated in the Q and A session.

Participants showed their interests in using the JJ-FAST for their forest monitoring and management. The JJ-FAST Development Team was encouraged by the participants to strengthen the JJ-FAST functions and data accuracy further to meet the needs and expectations of the COMIFAC countries.

-JICA-JAXA Partnership for Forest Conservation and Climate Change Countermeasure -Forest Governance Initiative:Takahiro Morita,JICA

-Deforestation Monitoring System - JJ-FAST:Masato Hayashi,JAXA

-Development of a logging monitoring system using PALSAR2:Hiroshi Sasakawa, JAFTA