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In this paper, ALOS PALSAR data have been used to map above ground biomass (AGB) in savanna ecosystems in Cameroon. The study has been motivated by the need to have estimates of carbon in African savannas. The L-band PALSAR mosaic data are suitable for the retrieval of savanna biomass (typically less than 100 Mg.ha^− 1) at national and continental scales. The retrieval methods have been developed using the following steps a) collection of in situ data and estimate of AGB and its uncertainties, b) pre-processing of SAR data, with an emphasis on the reduction of uncertainties due to speckle, while preserving the SAR resolution (25 m), c) development of a regression model with a reduced number of fitting parameters. The methodology is developed in a representative study area where in situ data are collected, using standard PALSAR Fine Beam Dual polarisation data, and d) pixel-to-pixel mapping of …