Innovations in the fields of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) are creating more opportunities for different sectors such as spatial sciences, natural resource management, landscape mapping, and smart planning. However, gaps in individual and institutional capacities hinder their effective use in evidence-based decision making in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. In this context, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will conduct a five-day training of trainers (ToT) on the applications of remote sensing and GIS for Afghanistan from 9 to 13 March 2020 at its headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal. This training is part of the institutional capacity-building activities for partner organizations in Afghanistan under ICIMOD’s SERVIR Hindu Kush Himalaya (SERVIR-HKH) Initiative. ICIMOD implements the SERVIR-HKH Initiative – one of five regional hubs of the SERVIR network – in its regional member countries, prioritizing activities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. SERVIR connects space to village by helping developing countries use satellite data to address challenges in food security, water resources, weather and climate, land use, and natural disasters. A partnership of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and leading technical organizations, SERVIR develops innovative solutions to improve livelihoods and foster self-reliance in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This training is a follow-up of the training on the fundamentals of Earth observation and geospatial technologies held in Kabul, Afghanistan, from 1 to 6 February 2020. It will engage faculties from Nangarhar University, Laghman University, and Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University from Afghanistan. It will focus on the applications of remote sensing and GIS in Afghanistan, including the mapping of vegetation, crops, water, snow, and land use and land cover. Objectives This training will demonstrate to participants the applications of RS/GIS to enable them in replicating such training in their universities. This will support ICIMOD’s efforts to build institutional capacities in Afghanistan on the use of Earth observation and geospatial technologies in decision-making processes. Expected Outcomes Upon the completion of the training, the participants will have a better understanding of the concepts and applications of RS/GIS and will be better equipped to replicate such trainings in their country. Expected Participants A total of 12 teaching professionals from Nangarhar University, Laghman University, and Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University who participated in the aforementioned 2020 training on the fundamentals of Earth observation and geospatial technologies in Kabul are expected to join this training. Agenda * Pdf copies of the presentations and resource material used in the training are available for download from corresponding links. DAY 1 – MONDAY, 9 MARCH 2020 09:00–09:30 Registration – Rajesh Shrestha, Angeli Shrestha, ICIMOD 09:30–10:10 Opening session (S1) Training overview and introduction of the participants – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Lead Capacity Development, SERVIR-HKH Initiative, ICIMOD SERVIR Overview – Birendra Bajracharya, Chief of Party, SERVIR-HKH Initiative, ICIMOD Remarks – Representatives from Nangarhar University, Laghman University, and Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University, Kunar Welcome remarks –Ghulam Rasul, Regional Programme Manager, MENRIS, ICIMOD Logistics/group photo – Angeli Shrestha, ICIMOD 10:10–10:30 Coffee/tea break 10:30–12:30 Morning session (S2) Pre-training assessment – Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD Pre-ToT training recap (GIS) – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD 12:30–13:30 Lunch 13:30–16:50 Afternoon session (S3) 13:30–15:00 Pre-ToT training recap (remote sensing) – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD 15:00–15:20 Coffee/tea break 15:20–16:50 Exploring Earth observation and GIS data – Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD DAY 2 – TUESDAY, 10 MARCH 2020 09:15–12:30 Morning session (S4) 09:15–10:45 Reflections of the previous day (30 min) – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD Remote sensing indices and their applications (60 min) – Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD 10:45–11:00 Coffee/tea break 11:00–12:30 Hands-on exercises – Poonam Tripathi, Sajana Maharjan, ICIMOD Basic image modeling (Erdas) Vegetation indices (VIs) 12:30–13:30 Lunch 13:30–16:50 Afternoon session (S5) 13:30–15:00 Hands-on exercises – Poonam Tripathi, Sajana Maharjan, ICIMOD Image modeling with VIs (continued) Water and snow indices Crop and other indices 15:00–15:20 Coffee/tea break 15:20–16:50 Information extraction, tables, charts, visualization Results interpretation DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY, 11 MARCH 2020 09:15–12:30 Morning session (S6) 09:15–10:45 Reflections of the previous day (30 min) – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD Concepts on land use and land cover mapping and image classification (40 min) – Kabir Uddin, ICIMOD Hands-on exercises – Sajana Maharjan, Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD Unsupervised image classification 10:45–11:00 Coffee/tea break 11:00–12:30 Hands-on exercises (session continued) 12:30–13:30 Lunch 13:30–16:50 Afternoon session (S7) 13:30–15:00 Hands-on exercises Training dataset development – Sajana Maharjan, Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD 15:00–15:20 Coffee/tea break 15:20–16:50 Hands-on exercises (session continued) DAY 4 – THURSDAY, 12 MARCH 2020 09:15–12:30 Morning session (S8) 09:15–10:45 Reflections of the previous day (30 min) – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD Applications of land cover mapping (30 min) – Kabir Uddin, ICIMOD Hands-on exercises – Sajana Maharjan, Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD Supervised classification 10:45–11:00 Coffee/tea break 11:00–12:30 Hands-on exercises (session continued) 12:30–13:30 Lunch 13:30–16:50 Afternoon session (S9) 13:30–15:00 Accuracy assessment (20 min) – Kabir Uddin, ICIMOD Hands-on exercises – Sajana Maharjan, Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD Accuracy assessment 15:00–15:20 Coffee/tea break 15:20–16:50 Hands-on exercises (session continued) DAY 5 – FRIDAY, 13 MARCH 2020 09:15–13:00 Morning session (10) 09:15–10:45 Overview of HUC -Himalayan University Consortium (20 min) – Chi Huyen Truong Demonstration on SERVIR-HKH services in Afghanistan (70 min) – Kiran Shakya, ICIMOD 10:45–11:00 Coffee/tea break 11:00–12:20 Monitoring and evaluation, and reporting (20 min) – Ganesh Bhattarai, ICIMOD Reflections of all days (40 min) – Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, ICIMOD Post-training assessment (20 min) – Poonam Tripathi, ICIMOD 12:20 – 13:00 Closing Session (11) Way forward (20 min) – Birendra Bajracharya, ICIMOD Certificate distribution – Ghulam Rasul, ICIMOD Remarks – Representatives from Nangarhar University, Laghman University, and Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University, Kunar Closing remarks and vote of thanks – Birendra Bajracharya, ICIMOD 13:00–14:00 Lunch Downloadable Resources Exploring Earth observation and GIS data Remote sensing indices and their applications Concepts on land use and land cover mapping and image classification Hands-on exercises Applications of land cover mapping Accuracy assessment Hands-on exercises Overview of HUC -Himalayan University Consortium Demonstration on SERVIR-HKH services in Afghanistan Monitoring and evaluation, and reporting