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French Scientific Committee on Desertification

Comité Scientifique Français de la Désertification
Monique Mainguet - Membre du CSFD

Mainguet Monique

Geomorphologist—analysis and combatting the physical processes of land degrature in drylands: mainly wind erosion. Emeritus Professor of Universities Member of  “Institut Universitaire de France”.

Main activities

• From 1985 to 1989, Director of DC/Pac (Dersertification Control Programe Activity Center)
• At Unep Nairobi Kenya (Unité of Nations Environnement Programe)
• From 1985 à 2005 Creation and Direction of LGZD (Laboratory of Zonal geographie for Development) at Rheims University (France)
• Since 1997, member of French Scientific Committee on Desertification
Summary of relevant work experience

My experience in 1962 at Strasbourg University was a geomorphic stack to elaborate the first geomorphic maps in Latin America (Venezuela, Peru, Chile). Successively in the University of Paris 10 and in the University of Reims, I was involved in combating land degradation in the Sahel, south of Sahara, mainly the spatial damages gendered by wind erosion in the context of desertification.

Therefore, I created and assumed the Direction of “Laboratoire de Géographie Zonale pour le Development” (LGZD). I developed a synoptic model of Aeolian erosion (GWAS General Wind Action System at the scale of the whole desert for example Sahara and Regional Wind Action System (RWAS) at the scale on one country Egypt for example. Which were used in the implementation of strategies of development in Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Niger (with Gerdat). I have worked also on wind erosion in combination with other physical processes of degradation (water erosion) and human activities in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Tchad (with JGN).

I collaborate also with Institute Geographic National of Paris: training courses on remote sensing for developing countries of Africa, with FAO, UNDP and WMO lecturing on surfaces dynamics.

I was during 4 years director of DC/PAC/Desertification control, program activity centre) in UNEP. Presently, my main interest is the relationships between human pressures and physical factors of land degradation, the rural perceptive of land degradation and to apprehend the farmers and pastoralists answers vis-à-vis desertification.

During my whole professional activity, I served as a teacher in different levels of remote sensing and analysis of wind action and as an expert for the follow-up and appraisal of project of land degradation, soil protection and restauration = oasis, lughways airport etc, protection against sand encroach = ment, windbreaks, oherterbelts, dune fixation…

(Co-)author of the following CSFD document(s)
2011 - Dossier thématique
- N° 3
The African Great Green Wall project
2012 - Fiche d'actualité
Vent de sable dans la Mare d'Oursi, Oudalan (En Haute Volta ‡ l'Èpoque de la prise de vue).
2007 - Fiche d'actualité