GEOGLAM Capacity Development
This component focuses on supporting national, regional and global institutions willing to develop agricultural monitoring capacities through the use of Earth observation and modelling.
Most countries have some form of agricultural monitoring system, but the level of uptake and use of Earth observations is extremely variable. In a number of cases traditional statistical field-based methods are used and do not benefit from the synoptic information that is afforded by current Earth observation data. In many instances, there is a lack of coordination between institutions that develop and utilize remote sensing for agricultural monitoring and the agricultural ministries or statistical services responsible for operational agricultural production monitoring. Furthermore in many developing countries, there has been a general decline in the overall quality and availability of agricultural statistics, as has been recognised from 2007 in a set of studies and consultations led inter alia by the United Nations Statistical Commission, the World Bank, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This has lead to the development of the Global Strategy for improving Agricultural and Rural Statistics (GSARS), which recognises that Earth observations can play a role and save time and money all the more that the present level of agricultural statistics is low.
The main goals of the Capacity Development component are:
• increasing knowledge, skills, and competencies of individuals engaged in agricultural monitoring;
• strengthening institutional frameworks in support of EO-aided agricultural monitoring and statistics production;
• sustaining regional and national training centers in teaching to best use of EO data in generating agricultural statistics;
• establishing mechanisms for the linkage and transfer of knowledge and technology among GEOGLAM partner’s institutions, agencies and/or projects and programs related to the 3 core components.
This component will provide technical and institutional training, training of trainers, methodological guidelines and tools, facilitated access to Earth observation including meteorological data (component EO Data coordination), and expert advice and support. As there is much to be gained by sharing experiences and approaches for the use of remote sensing between countries with similar crops (and cropping systems) and between countries with significant livestock numbers on rangelands and pastures, GEOGLAM will stimulate networking and the sharing of technical experience between all G20 and other countries focusing on the main producers/exporters identified in relationship with AMIS and FAO, as well as countries identified as at-risk (Food insecure).
Major achievements, Partnerships / Linkage
GEOGLAM members and agriculture and development agencies are engaged in enhancing EO-facilitated agricultural monitoring capabilities, through following programs:
- GSARS - The Global Strategy for Agriculture Statistics, with a Global Office, hosted by FAO Statistics Division (ESS) : www.gsars.org
- Capacity Development in Pakistan, with FAO, USDA, UMD and Pakistan authorities, http://dwms.fao.org/~test/home_en.asp
- Capacity Development in Argentina, with INTA, UMD and NASA, link to Argentina CD webpage
- SIGMA - Stimulating Innovation for Global Monitoring of Agriculture, co-funded by EC, led by VITO and with 22 partners from 16 countries www.geoglam-sigma.info
- STARS – Spurring a Transformation for Agriculture through Remote Sensing, funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, http://www.stars-project.org/en/
- MESA - Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa, http://rea.au.int/mesa/
- Asia-RiCE - Asian Rice Crop Estimation & Monitoring, in its Capacity Building component, active in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, and led by JAXA, http://www.asia-rice.org/workplan.php
- GeoRice, ESA Data User Elements project (CESBIO), for enhancing capacity on rice monitoring and yield forecasting in Vietnam, using radar data;
- CropWatch, China /RADI and several organizations in Thailand, for rice monitoring and yield forecasting, http://www.cropwatch.com.cn/htm/en/index.shtml
- DroughtWatch, installation and training in Mongolia and Sri Lanka, by China /RADI.
The work will comprise the following activities:
- Identify existing and planned Capacity Development projects and develop an inventory of their components and supports, using standardised metadata forms
- Develop a full training offer with curricula and adapted modules, adapted to the different target skills, target audiences, and regional situations. These materials should be shared openly and widely (via web-based tools) as a public good, and designed with adaptability to different national contexts in mind, including customized and/or on-the-job training.
- Develop communication and tool/resource dissemination strategy. The success of the GEOGLAM initiative is closely linked to the capacity of institutions and organizations to share and disseminate their methodologies and tools.
Leadership (points of contact)