In a bold step toward climate resilience and sustainable resource management, the Government of Benin, through the Ministère du Cadre de Vie et des Transports en charge du Développement Durable (MCVT) and the Direction Générale des Eaux, Forêts et Chasse (DGEFC), in partnership with Global Partners Sarl, has completed a transformative capacity-building initiative that harnesses drone technology to protect forests, enhance ecosystem monitoring, and improve livelihoods in rural communities.
The initiative, conducted under the umbrella of the Projet d’Adaptation Basée sur les Écosystèmes (PABE), represents a model of integrated action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, Goals 13 (Climate Action), 15 (Life on Land), and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). At its core, the project merges cutting-edge innovation with grassroots capacity to ensure that natural resources are sustainably managed in ways that directly benefit both the environment and the people who depend on it.
Global Partners: A Vanguard of Environmental Innovation in Africa
The training, led by Global Partners Sarl, a Benin-based firm specializing in geospatial technologies and environmental intelligence, delivered more than just skills. It signaled the arrival of a new paradigm in forest management. Over the course of several intensive months in 2024, agents from the DGEFC were trained in aerial data collection, photogrammetry, cartography, and drone piloting techniques, enabling them to conduct real-time monitoring of forest ecosystems across some of Benin’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
Under the leadership of Dr. Lawani Abdelaziz, an FAA-certified professional pilot, Mr. Jerry N’Djigou a certified drone pilot, and supported by a diverse team of technical assistants, the training combined theoretical instruction with immersive fieldwork. Participants not only learned how to operate and maintain drones for forestry conservation but also gained experience in planning automated flight missions, capturing geospatial imagery, and analyzing landscape dynamics using open-source GIS tools.
The practical design of the program ensured that by the end of the training, every trainee had completed several real-world drone missions and contributed to projects aimed at solving existing ecological challenges, from reforestation planning to monitoring illegal logging. These projects weren’t just academic exercises, they were prototypes for scalable solutions.
Empowering Local Solutions to Global Climate Challenges
The importance of this initiative extends far beyond technical training. Forests in Benin, like many across West Africa, face mounting pressures from deforestation, shifting agriculture, and the escalating impacts of climate change. By equipping frontline forest agents with modern tools, this program ensures that local institutions are not only reactive to environmental degradation but also proactive in preventing it.
Drone technology enables precise mapping of reforestation zones, identification of degradation hotspots, and real-time surveillance of illegal activities. These capabilities significantly reduce the time and cost associated with conventional forest monitoring. But more importantly, they empower local decision-makers to act quickly, strategically, and with evidence.
For Global Partners, this is more than a project, it is part of a broader mission to democratize access to environmental intelligence. Through its work, the company is redefining how African countries can leapfrog traditional development bottlenecks using affordable, scalable, and context-appropriate technologies. In doing so, Global Partners is placing innovation directly in the hands of those who manage, protect, and depend on natural ecosystems every day.
The Culmination: Technology Handed Over to Drive Change
On March 25, 2025, the project reached a pivotal moment with the official handover of seven (7) drones to government institutions, marking a transition from capacity-building to operational implementation.
During a high-level ceremony at the headquarters of the DGEFC in Cotonou, five drones were allocated to regional forest inspections in the departments of Collines, Borgou, Alibori, Atacora, and Donga, while two drones were handed to the Centre National de Gestion des Réserves de Faune (CENAGREF) to support conservation efforts in protected areas.
The event brought together representatives from key ministries, forestry departments, national agencies, and media outlets. In addition to formal speeches, the ceremony included a demonstration of the drones’ capabilities and a discussion on how the integration of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) strategies into local planning can support national climate goals.
By equipping the DGEFC and CENAGREF with these tools, the project ensures that the knowledge gained during the October training can now be translated into daily operational practice, closing the loop between theory and implementation.
A Model for Africa and Beyond
As climate change accelerates and natural ecosystems become increasingly fragile, countries across Africa are seeking new ways to build resilience while ensuring inclusive development. The approach pioneered by Global Partners in Benin, combining drone technology, local capacity, institutional partnerships, and community engagement, offers a replicable model for nations across the continent.
This project not only reinforces Benin’s commitment to sustainable development and environmental governance but also illustrates how homegrown African innovation can solve complex global challenges. By placing local actors at the center of technological transformation, Global Partners is proving that Africa is not just a recipient of innovation, it is a producer of it.
Looking Ahead: Sustaining the Momentum
The success of this program has already generated interest from other regions and institutions. Discussions are underway to scale the approach, deepen institutional partnerships, and expand the use of geospatial intelligence to other sectors, including agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and disaster preparedness.
In a world where the fight against climate change demands not just ambition but action, Global Partners is showing what it looks like to lead, with integrity, with innovation, and with impact.
As forests across Benin are now being monitored by drones flying overhead, one thing is clear: the future of environmental protection is already here, and it is taking flight.
For inquiries or partnership opportunities, contact:
globalpartnersbj@gmail.com
Global Partners Sarl – Driving innovation for sustainable ecosystems across Africa
