Agriculture: Work Plan Activities

Agriculture: Supporting sustainable agriculture and combating desertification

"Issues addressed by GEOSS will include: crop production; livestock, aquaculture and fishery statistics; food security and drought projections; nutrient balances; farming systems; land use and land-cover change; and changes in the extent and severity of land degradation and desertification. GEOSS implementation will address the continuity of critical data, such as high-resolution observation data from satellites. A truly global mapping and information service, integrating spatially explicit socio-economic data with agricultural, forest, and aquaculture data will be feasible, with applications in poverty and food monitoring, international planning, and sustainable development."
– GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan, Section 4.1.8

AG-06-02: Data Utilization in Fisheries and Aquaculture

This Task is led by Canada (BIO, forgetmh@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca), Spain(IEO) and POGO, and supported by the Coastal Zone Community of Practice

Identify opportunities for the enhanced utilization of Earth observations in fisheries and aquaculture. Consult with experts from fisheries, aquaculture, coastal zone management and Earth observation communities at regional and international levels. Support the implementation of the SAFARI project and IOCCG monograph. Make relevant synergies with AR-09-02a and the proposed Virtual Constellation on Ocean Colour Radiometry that will provide products related to marine ecosystems and ocean biogeochemistry for near-surface global ocean and coastal waters.

Key related Tasks in other SBAs include:

• EN-07-02 (Energy Environmental Impact Monitoring),
• EN-07-03 (Energy Policy Planning),
• CL-09-01 (Environmental Information for Decision-making, Risk Management and Adaptation),
• AR-09-03 (Sustained Observing Systems),
• EC-09-01 (Ecosystem Observation and Monitoring Network),
• EC-09-02 (Ecosystem Vulnerability to Global Change),
• BI-07-01 (Biodiversity Observation Network)

AG-07-03: Global Agricultural Monitoring

Support sustainable agriculture management and improve food security through the increased use of Earth observation data. Enhance current global capabilities in the areas of agriculture monitoring, famine early warning, food-supply prediction and agriculture risk assessment. Build the capacity necessary to utilize Earth observation information, especially within the developing world.

a) Global Agricultural Monitoring System (former AG-07-03)

This sub-task is led by EC (JRC), USA (University of Maryland, justice@hermes.geog.umd.edu), and
supported by the Global Agricultural Monitoring Community of Practice

Develop and improve a global operational agricultural monitoring system – enhancing current capabilities in the areas of monitoring, famine early warning and food security. Related activities will include: (i) Global mapping and monitoring of changes in distribution of cropland area and associated cropping systems; (ii) Global monitoring of agricultural production leading to accurate and timely reporting of national agricultural statistics, accurate forecasting of shortfalls in crop production, and reduction of risk & increased productivity at a range of scales; (iii) Development of early warning systems for famine, enabling timely mobilization of international response in food aid.

b) Agricultural Risk Management (former AG-07-02)

This sub-task is led by WMO (rstefanski@wmo.int), and supported by the Global Agricultural Monitoring Community of Practice

Develop and improve analytical tools and methods for agriculture risk assessment, particularly for crop failure. Establish common standards and formats. Facilitate the implementation of pilot-projects linking Earth system models to end-user application models (such as crop-yield models) to improve food-supply prediction.

c) Expanding Earth Observation Applications in Agriculture and Promoting Capacity Building in Developing Countries (former AG-06-07)

This sub-task is led by China (IRSA), Korea (KMA) and Uganda (DPRTRP, johnson.owaro@gmail.com), and supported by the Global Agricultural Monitoring Community of Practice

Develop training modules and expand the use of Earth observations for agricultural purposes in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Small Island States. Training modules will be underpinned by practical exercises using multi-source satellite data.

Key related Tasks in other SBAs include:

• DI-09-02 (Multi-Risk Management and Regional Applications),
• DI-09-03 (Warning Systems for Disasters),
• EN-07-02 (Energy Environmental Impact Monitoring),
• CL-09-01(Environmental Information for Decision-making, Risk Management and Adaptation),
• CL-09-03 (Global Carbon Observation and Analysis System),
• WA-06-02 (Droughts, Floods and Water Resource Management),
• WA-06-07 (Capacity Building for Water Resource Management),
• WA-08-01 (Integrated Products for Water Resource Management and Research),
• WE-06-03 (TIGGE),
• WE-09-01 (Capacity Building for High-Impact Weather Prediction),
• EC-09-01 (Ecosystem Observation and Monitoring Network),
• EC-09-02 (Ecosystem Vulnerability to Global Change)