The first phase of the Open Climate Curriculum for Agriculture in Algeria has been successfully launched, marking a concrete step forward in promoting open science practices in the fields of climate science and agriculture.

Led by GEOG’s Ph.D. candidate Walid Ouaret, along with Dounia Bourtache and Assistant Professor Ghiles Kaci, both from Boumerdes University in Algeria, the program aims to introduce participants to the forthcoming Open Climate Science Curriculum for Agriculture.

Developed in collaboration with the Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group of the University of Montana and the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland, this curriculum provides openly accessible and comprehensive resources for researchers, professionals and learners. The initiative received funding from NASA through the Transform to Open Science Program (TOPS), underscoring the importance of advancing open climate science practices.

“This collaborative effort, made possible thanks to the local collaboration of Dr. Amel Bouzid and Dr. Amine Oulmane, is part of our ongoing mission to empower individuals in the field of remote sensing, climate science and agriculture in Algeria and globally,” said Ouaret.

The initial workshops took place on  Feb. 11 and 12 at the Research Center for Applied Economics for Development (CREAD, in French) in Algiers and on Feb. 18 and 19 at the Territory Planning Research Center (CRAT, in French) in Constantine. More than 50 participants had the chance to learn Python for Earth observation, a crucial skill set in today's data-driven scientific landscape. 

Scenes of the workshop in Algeria
From left to right, Dr. Amel Bouzid, Dr. Gilles Kaci, Dr. Amine Oulmane, Walid Ouaret and Dounia Bourtache. 

“Equipping participants with these skills aims to foster innovation and collaboration in addressing pressing environmental challenges at the intersection of climate science and earth observation,” added Ouaret.

With plans for further phases of the curriculum underway and growing interest from other institutions, the impact of this program is expected to expand significantly in the coming months.

Stay tuned for more updates as the team continues to advance open climate science practices.

Main image: Walid Ouaret, fourth from the right, helps a participant during the workshop in Algiers.

All photos provided by Walid Ouaret.

 

Walid Ouret speaks with workshop participants