The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have launched SERVIR-Mekong project to strengthen regional environmental monitoring in five countries in the lower Mekong region of Southeast Asia.

It has been launched in the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Bangkok, Thailand to serve the 5 countries of the Mekong River Basin viz. Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Major Highlights

• The focus of this project is to host vital issues in the Mekong river basin region in the five countries which is often called as rice bowl of Asia.
• It will enable these countries better address issues of natural resource and disaster management and support climate resilience studies including reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• The project will help these Governments incorporate Earth observations and geospatial technologies in improving management of water and natural resources.

Provide early warning of dramatic changes in regional water, weather, land cover and land use and climate and food security.

SERVIR-Mekong project

Under SERVIR-Mekong, we are tapping into the best available science and technology to help protect this region’s vital ecosystems and the benefits they provide to society,” said Beth Paige, director of USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia.

SERVIR was developed in coordination with the Group on Earth Observations, an alliance of more than 90 nations and organisations collaborating to build a global Earth-observing system to benefit society’s needs.

Spanish term meaning ‘to serve,’ the programme was initiated in 2005 by researchers at Nasa’s Marshall Space Flight Centre in Alabama, which continues to house the SERVIR Coordination Office.

The first SERVIR hub, launched in 2005 in Panama, served the Mesoamerican region and the Dominican Republic.

Expected Question

1.Where was the first SERVIR hub, launched to serve Mesoamerican region and the Dominican Republic?

-In Panama, 2005

2.Who was the director of USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia?

-Beth Paige

3.The focus of SERVIR project is to host vital issues in the Mekong river basin region in the five countries which is often called as—

-Rice bowl of Asia