Scaling nature-based solutions for climate resilient infrastructure

Role: Research assistant, Madagascar
Project: Barriers and enabling factors affecting the implementation and long-term maintenance of green and blue infrastructures in peri-urban areas of Antananarivo, Madagascar
Affiliation: Institute and Observatory of Geophysics of Antananarivo and ESSA Forêts, University of Antananarivo
ORCID ID: N/A
Email: raoeliarimananasariaka@gmail.com

Rojofitiavana Sitrakiniaina Raoeliarimanana Sariaka is a researcher in remote sensing and geomatics at the Institute and Observatory of Geophysics of Antananarivo (IOGA), University of Antananarivo. Her work focuses on the study of natural resources and environmental risks in tropical regions. She is particularly interested in the mapping and monitoring of ecosystems using satellite imagery, especially mangroves, forests, and water resources in Madagascar.

Her research includes the analysis and processing of satellite images from platforms such as Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 to produce thematic maps and study the dynamics of water surfaces, forests, and coastal zones. As part of her Master’s internship, she is working on the development of an automatic mapping of water areas using Sentinel-1 RADAR data in order to monitor hydrological seasonality and characterise extreme events such as floods and droughts in the Tsiribihina basin. 

She worked as a research assistant at ESSA Forêts, where her activities focused on evaluating the effectiveness of green and blue infrastructure for reducing hydrological risks, particularly floods and water pollution in peri-urban areas. Data collection from local communities and institutional stakeholders was carried out using the KoboCollect tool.

Her experience combines geospatial analysis, satellite data processing, the use of programming languages such as Python and R, as well as GIS, to contribute to a better understanding of sustainable natural resource management and environmental risks in the Western Indian Ocean region.